News for 19 May 2009
Tuesday, 19 May 2009 08:27 | 
| 
All the news for Tuesday 19 May 2009
Pakistan climbs ABN AMRO World Rankings
As a result of its second place at the Men’s Asia Cup, Pakistan climbed two places at the ABN AMRO World Rankings. The Pakistan team is now ranked sixth. Asian Champion Korea remains fifth.
Germany is still the ABN AMRO World Ranking leader, followed by Australia, Spain, Netherlands and Korea. Besides Pakistan, China climbed three positions and moved from the 16th to the 13th place.
Other Asia Cup participants dropped a couple of places. India went down from the 10th to the 12th position. Japan dropped from the 11th to the 14th position, while Malaysia lost one place (15th to 16th).
Please click here for the ABN AMRO World Rankings
WorldHockey
Pakistan eye more improvement after ranking boost
By writes Khalid Hussain
KARACHI: Former world champions Pakistan hope to climb up the rankings ladder after jumping two places on the International Hockey Federation (FIH) computer by reaching the final of the recently-concluded Asia Cup in Kuantan, Malaysia.
Ranked eighth — their lowest-ever position in the international rankings — before the start of the seven-nation event, Pakistan have catapulted themselves to number six in the list just behind Korea, who beat them 1-0 in the Asia Cup final on Saturday.
Team coach Shahid Ali Khan termed the improvement as a good omen. “It is good to know that we are now number six in the rankings,” Shahid told ‘The News’ soon after Pakistan returned home from Malaysia on Monday. “Our target is to continue doing well in the coming months and become one of the leading teams in the world,” he added.
Asif Bajwa, the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) secretary, told this correspondent that he was pleased with the national team’s performance in Kuantan. “The boys finally showed they were improving by giving a fine show in the Asia Cup,” said Bajwa, who was the team’s manager in Kuantan.
Pakistan, who last won the title in 1989, drew 2-2 against China but defeated India 3-2 and Malaysia 4-2 to reach the Asia Cup final. However, Pakistan were unable to click when it mattered most and went down to the Koreans in the title clash.
Bajwa, a former Olympian, underlined the fact that his team lost because of the players’ inexperience of playing big matches. “It was after a long time that our team featured in the final of a major event,” he said. “For most of the boys it was the first time that they were playing such an important match. I believe that it was their inexperience of playing in big games, more than anything else, that stopped them from winning against Korea,” he stressed.
Bajwa hoped that Pakistan will regain the sort of confidence that is needed to win big titles. “In time, our boys will know how to win the big games. I believe that our team will no more be finishing sixth or seventh in international events as with further improvement it should be playing in the semifinals and finals in the future.”
Pakistan’s failure to win the Asia Cup means that they will have to compete in the World Cup qualifiers later this year to make the cut for the 2010 World Cup. Bajwa said that the PHF and the team management will soon prepare a comprehensive preparatory programme to ensure Pakistan give their best in the World Cup qualifiers.
Reverting to the FIH rankings, other Asia Cup participants dropped a couple of places. India, who failed to defend their title, went down from the 10th to the 12th position. Japan dropped from the 11th to the 14th position, while Malaysia lost one place (15th to 16th).
Germany are still the world’s number one team, followed by Australia, Spain, Netherlands and Korea. Besides Pakistan, China climbed three positions and moved from the 16th to the 13th place.
The News International
Pakistan climb to 6th place in world hockey rankings
Staff Report
LAHORE: Asia Cup silver-medallists Pakistan have climbed up two places in world hockey rankings and are now six places ahead of traditional rivals India.
The latest rankings released by the International Hockey Federation (FIH) show Pakistan jumping to sixth position from the previous eighth.
South Korea who beat Pakistan in the final of Asia Cup are at number five.
Pakistan lost to South Korea by a solitary goal at Kuantan, Malaysia on Saturday even after dominating the final against the eventual gold-medallists.
Germany are still at the top of rankings followed by Australia, Spain and the Netherlands.
Asia Cup bronze-medallists China climbed three positions to move from 16th to 13th place.
Japan dropped from 11th to 14th position while Malaysia lost one place: 15th to 16th.
Top 25 hockey teams of the world:
1: Germany
2: Australia
3: Spain
4: Holland
5: South Korea
6: Pakistan
7: England
8: New Zealand
9: Belgium
10: Argentina,
11: Canada
12: India
13: China
14: Japan
15: South Africa
16: Malaysia
17: France
18: Ireland
19: United States
20: Poland
21: Egypt
22: Austria
23: Scotland
24: Czech Republic
25: Russia.
The Daily Times
Pakistan sixth in FIH rankings
LAHORE: Pakistan have climbed two places in world hockey rankings after reaching the final of the recently-concluded 8th Asia Cup in Malaysia.
Pakistan were placed at a poor eighth spot after the Beijing Olympic Games last year but has climbed up to sixth spot. South Korea, which grabbed the title in the Asia Cup, are now ranked fifth in the world.
According to the latest rankings issued by the International Hockey Federation (FIH), Germany have retained its top spot followed by Australia, Spain, Netherlands and Korea. Besides Pakistan, China have also improved its position by moving to 13th from previous 16th spot.
Other Asia Cup participants dropped a couple of places as well. India went down from the 10th to the 12th position while Japan dropped from 11th to 14th and Malaysia slipped to 16th from its previous 15th ranking.
Dawn
India slips in hockey rankings
Sports Reporter
NEW DELHI: After finishing a disappointing fifth in the recently concluded Asia Cup hockey tournament, India has slipped from 10th to 12th spot in the latest world rankings.
As per the rankings issued by the International Hockey Federation (FIH) on Monday, Pakistan rode on its runner-up performance to climb two slots to the sixth place. Asian champion Korea remains fifth.
The other gainer China, which finished third in the tournament, jumped three notches to the 13th spot.
Japan slid from 11th to 14th while host Malaysia went down from 15th to 16th.
The Hindu
Artificial pitch not their cup of tea
By Jugjet Singh
THE National Juniors played three friendlies against Singapore in the island republic last weekend and found the artificial pitch not to their liking.
Malaysia and Singapore, co-hosts of the June 7-21 Junior World Cup, will accommodate 10 teams each.
Singapore was supposed to host a Four-Nation to test its facilities but could not do so and invited Malaysia instead.
"We played three matches against Singapore and the boys found the artificial pitch a little bumpy. We won all three matches (3-1, 3-0, 1-0). It was a good experience because, if we qualify for the quarter-finals, we might have to play in Singapore," said Juniors coach K. Rajan.
Johor Baru will host Argentina, Belgium, Egypt, Pakistan and Russia (Group A) and England, South Korea, Spain, US and Malaysia (Group C).
Singapore will host Australia, Chile, Germany, Japan and South Africa in Group B. India, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland and Singapore are in Group D.
The juniors are now in Johor getting a feel of the competition venue in Taman Daya.
"It will be strictly training for us until the World Cup but we have lined-up a friendly against Belgium on June 2," said Rajan. "Spain will be arriving on May 29 and have requested for a match but since they are in the same group, I have declined."
Rajan has dropped midfielder Azrin Rizal after he underwent a knee operation, and brought in Shaheed Shah.
"I have 21 players in training and things are looking up. We should be ready to battle for a quarter-final slot when the tournament starts."
New Straits Times
FIH courting Australia and Malaysia as Plan B
By Ajitpal Singh
'KUALA Lumpur and Australia have been shortlisted as Plan B to host next year's World Cup to replace New Delhi.
Apparently, some countries have threatened to withdraw if the World Cup is hosted in New Delhi because of security reasons.
The International Hockey Federation (FIH) has been in constant contact with MHF regarding this but the local body should decline the offer as Malaysia should not aim to compete in the World Cup via the backdoor but instead qualify on merit. '
Jugjet's World of Field Hockey
Hockey on the right track
By Ajitpal Singh
IF Malaysia's performance in the 8th AirAsia Men's Asia Cup is anything to go by, the game is on the right track in the country but some fine tuning is needed to ensure the team make further progress.
Not only have the players shown improvement, but can now match the best in terms of physical fitness and mental demands in the game. But they cannot rest on this and need to push harder.
Interim national coach Tai Beng Hai has done a splendid job of turning the team's fortunes around in just four-and-half months for the tournament.
Many believed Malaysia would lose to South Korea and Japan in the group stage and thus fail to achieve the Malaysian Hockey Federation's (MHF) semi-final target but the players proved their critics wrong.
Malaysia held Korea 1-1 and slammed Japan 4-1 -- both higher ranked teams -- to qualify for the semi-finals.
But the hosts lost momentum in the knockout stage, losing 4-2 to Pakistan in the semi-finals and on penalty strokes (7-6) to China in the bronze medal match.
Both defeats exposed several of the team's weaknesses, though not major ones. The players must learn to maximise the use of their talents, and do so wisely, to penetrate their opponents' half.
It was evident in Kuantan that they lacked variety in creative passing during interchanges from defence to midfield to attack.
This must be rectified soon. Probably, Beng Hai wants his players to put more flair into their game but in the modern game too much of it will not be effective. Just look at Germany.
They may play boring hockey but it's effective and good enough to win world and Olympic titles.
However, the best system may not necessarily work for Malaysia and Beng Hai, after seeing the way his boys play, is surely trying to introduce a more offensive mindset to the team.
To be honest, Malaysia, if they had more time to prepare, could have done far better in Kuantan. However, time was not on Beng Hai's side when he was given the task to handle the national senior team on Jan 5.
For this, the MHF must be blamed as it took too long to find a replacement for Sarjit Singh, who was removed as national coach, last October.
MHF was too busy looking for a world class coach while not realising that the national seniors were losing precious time.
If Beng Hai was appointed sooner, results in the Asia Cup may have been different.
As for Beng Hai, who has met MHF's targets so far, he should be offered a fulltime contract to prepare the team for upcoming tournaments.
However, the fickle-mindedness of MHF is legendry and it might make a U-turn on its decision.
Malaysia's next assignment is the Champions Challenge II in Dublin in July where a good result is vital to boost the team's confidence ahead of November's World Cup Qualifiers.
The grapevine has it that Beng Hai is planning to recruit a few under-21 players after next month's Junior World Cup for senior team training to beef-up the squad. This is also to give deserving juniors the exposure and experience to fill gaps when seniors retire.
Meanwhile, Kuala Lumpur and Australia have been shortlisted as Plan B to host next year's World Cup to replace New Delhi.
Apparently, some countries have threatened to withdraw if the World Cup is hosted in New Delhi because of security reasons.
The International Hockey Federation (FIH) has been in constant contact with MHF regarding this but the local body should decline the offer as Malaysia should not aim to compete in the World Cup via the backdoor but instead qualify on merit.
Jugjet's World of Field Hockey
In Malaysia, hockey remains on the periphery
Uthra Ganesan
Kuantan (Malaysia): For anyone who may wonder why hockey is not considered a global sport, the just-concluded Asia Cup here makes a good case study.
Malaysia are one of the better Asian teams in hockey — they finished fourth in the Asia Cup — but here in Kuantan, not many were aware of the tournament being on. The venue — the Wisma Belia complex, which means “building of youth” in Malay — is a famous landmark. But it’s not because of the tournament, the complex just happens to be a training base for new recruits to the Malaysian maritime forces.
Surprisingly, even most of those who work at the sprawling complex on the outskirts of the city — it houses among other things, a mess, a restaurant and a swimming pool — are ignorant of the tournament till asked about it. Most people on the streets have no idea about hockey, except that it’s a sport dominated by India and Pakistan.
In contrast, the Darul Makmur football stadium is situated in the heart of Kuantan city. It acts as the local bus terminal as well and is known as the central reference point for every direction. At full capacity, the stadium can seat about 30,000 people and sees an audience of around 5,000 people even for local state and district level tournaments, despite an entry fee for every game.
Any remaining doubts on football’s popularity are done away with a glance of the number of playing fields around the city. At any given time, every park and open space in the city has at least a few youngsters dribbling football.
The stadium itself has managed so well that India could perhaps take a few lessons from it. The stadium not only gets grants from the state government, but it also earns its own income through rent from more than two dozen shops running from the premises. The arena, built in 1973, has already played host to the junior World Cup in 1997, the Youth Champions Cup in the same year and regularly hosts Merdeka Cup matches. “No one plays hockey here, football is the most popular sport,” says Radzi, the stadium manager. “Even though our majesty likes hockey better now, the common people prefer football,” he adds.
It isn’t surprising then, to find just a passing mention of the Asia Cup in the media while several pages are devoted to football.
“I am sure hockey will become more popular here now, since the Malaysian Hockey Federation president is from here,” said an MHF official, adding that the support of royalty is very important for any sport to survive.
However, there don’t seem too many takers for this theory. Malaysia is known more for its racquet sports — squash, badminton, table tennis. But here, they are all relegated to the second spot behind football. “I like football. I play it everyday with my friends. It’s all of ours favourite sport,” says Rosmen, a college student.
Indian Express
Freak accident rules Azreen out of the Junior World Cup
By S. RAMAGURU
KUALA LUMPUR: Centre half Azreen Rizal Nasir has been ruled out of the Junior World Cup Finals after suffering a meniscus tear in a freak accident in training.
The national junior hockey team are now in Johor Baru for their final phase of training with 21 players. Malaysia and Singapore are co-hosting the Finals scheduled for June 7-21 and three players will be dropped just before the start of the tournament.
Azreen has been left behind in Kuala Lumpur and he will undergo a knee surgery.
Coach K. Rajan said that Azreen was retrieving a ball from the drain after a training session two weeks ago when he slipped and fell.
“He is one of the players who would have secured a slot in the final squad. It’s a setback to the team even though we have able replacements for him,” he said.
Last week, defender and penalty corner specialist Mohamed Nor Hafiq Abdul Ghaffar had to undergo surgery for appendicitis in Kuantan. The national juniors were in Kuantan for friendly matches against teams taking part in the just concluded Asia Cup.
“Nor Hafiq is recovering well and should be ready to make the final selection. He is a crucial player in the team and it will be difficult to replace him,” said Rajan.
“We also have three other players on the injury list but they will travel with the team when we return to Johor Baru on May 26. They are now in rehab.”
The trio nursing injuries are R. Nadesh, Mohd Sybrie Shamsudin and Mohamed Izzat.
Rajan said that the team would break camp on May 23 for three days before returning to Johor Baru for the final push.
The juniors were in Singapore last week where they played three matches at the new stadium against their counterparts there. The matches were to test facilities at the venue for the Junior World Cup and Malaysia won all of them (3-0, 3-1 and 1-0).
Rajan added that they had two matches more schedule for June 2 and June 4 against Belgium and Pakistan respectively to help him make his selection for the final squad of 18.
Malaysia are in Group C with Spain, England, South Korea and the United States. Group A comprises Argentina, Belgium, Egypt, Pakistan and Russia.
The Group C and A matches will be played in Johor Baru and matches involving teams in the other two groups will be played in Singapore.
Group B comprises Australia, Chile, Germany, Japan and South Africa. Group D has Holland, India, New Zealand, Poland and Singapore.
The Star of Malaysia
Schoolboys rule the roost in a man's world
By Jugjet Singh
SCHOOLBOYS from Bukit Jalil are holding out nicely in a man's world by topping the table after the first weekend of the Malaysia Hockey League's Division One.
And the fact that 13 players from BJSS are Under-16, with the 17 year-olds, makes it both special and alarming.
Special because it means they are indeed worthy of their places in the sports school and alarming because it exposes just how poor the overall quality is in the division, which has no age restriction.
BJSS coach S. Prakash took a gamble when he fielded Under-17 boys in the Under-19 Division Two of the MHL, only to be rewarded with a double and this could also be the scenario in Division One.
"Since we are a sports school and have won many titles, we tried with a young set of players and it was a rewarding experience in Division Two,
"So, we went ahead and fielded more youngsters for the Division One challenge, and so far, the boys have coped well," said Prakash.
BJSS opened accounts by making a strong comeback from being 0-3 down, to draw against Bandar Penawar Sports School (BPSS) who have several pre-university players.
After that, BJSS beat UNIMAP of Perlis 4-1.
"I see a good future in this set of players, and the only problem now is their lack of sharpness in the semi-circle."
New Straits Times
We have to shed the habit of being defensive, says Harendra Singh
Special Correspondent
NEW DELHI: “We know the problem but are not able to solve it. That is Indian hockey’s problem.” Harendra Singh, the National coach who will assist chief coach Jose Brasa, was quite forthcoming in his assessment of the team.
Back from Malaysia after a poor showing in the Asia Cup where India finished fifth, Harendra was not willing to slam the players. “They did their best and I firmly believe they will improve in the times to come. I request hockey fans to be patient with this bunch.”
Not that the team displayed a flawless approach. Among the most glaring shortcomings, according to Harendra, was the habit of going on the defensive. “In modern hockey, you can never relax. Not even when you are leading 5-0. We paid the price of trying to sit on a 2-0 lead (against China). We have to overcome this habit.”
Targets
Harendra listed three targets that the team had set when he took over as the coach. “We have aimed to reach the semifinals of the World Cup, final of the Commonwealth Games and first place at the Asian Games. The European tour (in July-August) will be a testing platform for the team.”
What then were the factors that pleased him most during his tenure as the coach? “The discipline and unity that the team showed right through were exemplary. There were efforts to create problems but then the players responded splendidly. Not one player felt insecure. I feel the biggest gain from the past year is that the team has been scoring consistently.”
What of Dilip Tirkey, who was considered a burden because of his age? “There is no truth in it. He is a fantastic player and deserves all respect because of his sheer performance on the field. Which coach wants to drop a good player? I have always believed in frank communication with the players, especially the seniors.”
Elaborating, Harendra said, “The problem in India is that many fail to differentiate between a player being rested and dropped. Tirkey would be rested and not dropped. Even Tirkey knows it would be tough for him to play every match and hopes to continue until 2010. We have to use him sparingly.”
Harendra, who thanked the Sports Authority of India and the Sports Ministry for supporting hockey, said, “I have told the players that the credit for every victory is theirs and the blame for every defeat is mine. Their job is to just concentrate on the game and give their best. It is a wonderful bunch we have.”
Looking ahead, Harendra noted, “I will be with the team and have enjoyed a good interaction with Brasa during the Asia Cup. I will be a kind of linkman between the players and Brasa. He is keen to learn our style, culture and I am looking forward to working with him. Under his guidance, I am sure Indian hockey will gain respect.”
The Hindu
Five to miss national hockey trials
Five leading players - Emily Naylor, Kayla Sharland, Krystal Forgesson, Beth Jurgeleit and Kate Mahon - will miss next week's New Zealand women's hockey trials because of club commitments in Europe.
They have been replaced by White Ferns cricketer, Sophie Devine, Natasha Fitzsimons, Sam Harrison, Nicola Howes, Carli Michelsen, Sally Rutherford and Petrea Webster.
The trials will be held at Auckland from May 25-29 before slectors Mark Hager, Chris Leslie and former international skipper, Tina Bell-Kake.
The trialists are: Stacey Brannigan, Rhianna Buchanan, Stacey Carr, Sophie Devine, Honor Dillon, Clarissa Eshuis, Cathryn Finlayson, Natasha Fitzsimons, Gemma Flynn, Katie Glynn, Amanda Green, Kimberley Green, Ella Gunson, Piki Hamahona, Sam Harrison, Charlotte Harrison, Nicola Howes, Bridget Kight, Jasmine McQuinn, Carli Michelsen, Stacey Michelsen, Alana Millington, Liz Perry, Anita Punt, Bianca Russell, Sally Rutherford, Kate Saunders, Kate Savory, Lucy Talbot, Anna Thorpe, Petrea Webster.
Stuff
Niniwa Roberts misses selection but still hopeful
JONATHAN MILLMOW
Long-serving international hockey striker Niniwa Roberts bares no malice towards new coach Mark Hager despite being overlooked for the Black Sticks trials in Auckland next week.
Hager has named 31 players for the trials but still could not find room for Roberts, who has played more than 130 tests, been to two Olympics and was the top scorer in last year's national league.
"Mark explained to me that he is looking at players who will be around in 2012 [Olympics in London]," Roberts said. "I had my sights set on being in the team again but I can see where he is coming from. Still, I'm not retiring, I'm going to play national league again for Wellington and who knows what might happen from there."
The list of who won't be at the trials is long and headed by captain Lizzy Igasan, who is unavailable until the end of the year because of work commitments.
Jaimee Claxton is pregnant and Emily Naylor, Kayla Sharland, Krystal Forgesson, Beth Jurgeleit and Kate Mahon have club commitments in Europe. They have been replaced by White Ferns cricketer Sophie Devine, Natasha Fitzsimons, Sam Harrison, Nicola Howes, Carli Michelsen, Sally Rutherford and Petrea Webster.The week-long trials begin on Monday and at their completion selectors Hager, Chris Leslie and former international Tina Bell-Kake will name a 24-strong squad.
Stuff
Pakistan hockey team returns with silver medal
Staff Report
KARACHI: The Pakistan hockey squad, who won a silver medal in the 8th Asia Cup Hockey Tournament in Malaysia on Saturday, reached back home here on Monday. Pakistan lost the final 0-1 against South Korea. The team was warmly received and garlanded by officials of the Pakistan Hockey Federation, Sindh Hockey Association and Karachi Hockey Association at the Quaid-e-Azam International Airport. The players belonging to other provinces took connecting flights.
The Daily Times
Tazelaar praises PHF initiatives
KARACHI: Dutch coach Wouter Erik Tezelaar praised Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) initiatives to uplift the game of hockey from grass-root level.
Tazelaar has been hired by PHF to improve hockey structure from grass root level. Talking to PPI during his visit at PHF Academy at Hockey Club of Pakistan, Wouter said: “Setting academies is a good enterprise to uplift the game of hockey. But players in the academy just started playing hockey and it will take them at least two years to play hockey properly.”
However, Tazelaar added that the boys were motivated and are spirited so they would learn quickly. “If the academy produces three to four players who can secure berth in the national team then I think it will be a job well done. And, I see two or three talented player in this lot,” he said.
He said that Pakistan hockey must work hard to bring the game back to its past standard. “Pakistan must play against teams like Belgium and England so that they can learn how to beat them and get consistency with that,” he said.
He suggested Pakistan hockey team should have eleven attackers as well as eleven defenders ready to play so that they could have two extreme strategies. “They must also learn 70 minutes of attack as well as 70 minutes of defense. There is a problem in passing so they must work on this aspect of the game,” he added.
“There must be weekly tournaments to make players totally fit. Karachi team must visit Lahore (and vice versa) and different tournaments must be played regularly,” he said. “We played well in Asia Cup. But the importance of that tournament was that we could have qualified for the World Cup 2010 by winning the title. Now we must look at World Cup 2010 and prepare for it.”
Academy coach Asif Ahmed Khan told PPI that the strength of the Academy is 33 but 25 players appeared in the practice session as others have been taking academic papers. Asif said that there are eleven U14 players and as many U15 and U16 players. Asif added that PHF provided everything that they were promised of.
The News International
Paradise hockey men stun Dames
Paradise pulled off the biggest upset of the T&T Hockey Board Men’s Championship Division season with a 3-1 whipping of defending champions, Notre Dame on Saturday.
This was in one of three matches played at the Dwight Yorke Stadium, Bacolet, training field. Having won their first four matches, the Dames who were without team leader Brian Gracia, were expected to come away with another win, took a sixth-minute lead via a Tobias Ottley field goal. That lead lasted only one minute as Brent Graham got Paradise on level terms and just before half-time Vernell Rivers was called. His score pushed Paradise to a 2-1 lead.
With two minutes left in the match, Jerald Thompson sealed Paradise’s victory.
In the Women’s Championship Division, Paradise was also victorious, 4-1 over visiting Raiders.
Maurisa Nicholson opened the scoring for Paradise in the second minute while Kai Cadett made it 2-0 in the 26th.
Krizia Layne pulled one back for Raiders, but any hopes of a revival was ended when Shelly Hughes (65th) and Dixie-Ann Daniel (68th) netted for Paradise.
The Trinidad Guardian
Orissa win hockey tourney
Pune: Orissa won the Rajesh Pillay Academy Invitational hockey tournament after beating Vikram Pillay Academy 3-1 in the final of the tournament held at the Major Dhyanchand stadium in Pimpri on Sunday.
Orissa were off to a solid start when they scored a goal in the second minute through Dhanchand Munda. They took a lot of confidence from this goal and were dominating possession. They applied a lot of pressure on the opposition goal and this pressure came good in the 26th minute when they extended their lead through Amardeep Ekka. The half ended 2-0.
It was more of the same from Orissa in the second half and it did not take long for them to have the game wrapped up. Amit Rohidas scored for them in the 34th minute and put the game to bed. VPA launched a late attack and got a consolation goal through Cyril Bernard but they were not able to get anything out of the game. The match ended 3-1.
Indian Express
Pakistan climbs ABN AMRO World Rankings
As a result of its second place at the Men’s Asia Cup, Pakistan climbed two places at the ABN AMRO World Rankings. The Pakistan team is now ranked sixth. Asian Champion Korea remains fifth.
Germany is still the ABN AMRO World Ranking leader, followed by Australia, Spain, Netherlands and Korea. Besides Pakistan, China climbed three positions and moved from the 16th to the 13th place.
Other Asia Cup participants dropped a couple of places. India went down from the 10th to the 12th position. Japan dropped from the 11th to the 14th position, while Malaysia lost one place (15th to 16th).
Please click here for the ABN AMRO World Rankings
WorldHockey
Pakistan eye more improvement after ranking boost
By writes Khalid Hussain
KARACHI: Former world champions Pakistan hope to climb up the rankings ladder after jumping two places on the International Hockey Federation (FIH) computer by reaching the final of the recently-concluded Asia Cup in Kuantan, Malaysia.
Ranked eighth — their lowest-ever position in the international rankings — before the start of the seven-nation event, Pakistan have catapulted themselves to number six in the list just behind Korea, who beat them 1-0 in the Asia Cup final on Saturday.
Team coach Shahid Ali Khan termed the improvement as a good omen. “It is good to know that we are now number six in the rankings,” Shahid told ‘The News’ soon after Pakistan returned home from Malaysia on Monday. “Our target is to continue doing well in the coming months and become one of the leading teams in the world,” he added.
Asif Bajwa, the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) secretary, told this correspondent that he was pleased with the national team’s performance in Kuantan. “The boys finally showed they were improving by giving a fine show in the Asia Cup,” said Bajwa, who was the team’s manager in Kuantan.
Pakistan, who last won the title in 1989, drew 2-2 against China but defeated India 3-2 and Malaysia 4-2 to reach the Asia Cup final. However, Pakistan were unable to click when it mattered most and went down to the Koreans in the title clash.
Bajwa, a former Olympian, underlined the fact that his team lost because of the players’ inexperience of playing big matches. “It was after a long time that our team featured in the final of a major event,” he said. “For most of the boys it was the first time that they were playing such an important match. I believe that it was their inexperience of playing in big games, more than anything else, that stopped them from winning against Korea,” he stressed.
Bajwa hoped that Pakistan will regain the sort of confidence that is needed to win big titles. “In time, our boys will know how to win the big games. I believe that our team will no more be finishing sixth or seventh in international events as with further improvement it should be playing in the semifinals and finals in the future.”
Pakistan’s failure to win the Asia Cup means that they will have to compete in the World Cup qualifiers later this year to make the cut for the 2010 World Cup. Bajwa said that the PHF and the team management will soon prepare a comprehensive preparatory programme to ensure Pakistan give their best in the World Cup qualifiers.
Reverting to the FIH rankings, other Asia Cup participants dropped a couple of places. India, who failed to defend their title, went down from the 10th to the 12th position. Japan dropped from the 11th to the 14th position, while Malaysia lost one place (15th to 16th).
Germany are still the world’s number one team, followed by Australia, Spain, Netherlands and Korea. Besides Pakistan, China climbed three positions and moved from the 16th to the 13th place.
The News International
Pakistan climb to 6th place in world hockey rankings
Staff Report
LAHORE: Asia Cup silver-medallists Pakistan have climbed up two places in world hockey rankings and are now six places ahead of traditional rivals India.
The latest rankings released by the International Hockey Federation (FIH) show Pakistan jumping to sixth position from the previous eighth.
South Korea who beat Pakistan in the final of Asia Cup are at number five.
Pakistan lost to South Korea by a solitary goal at Kuantan, Malaysia on Saturday even after dominating the final against the eventual gold-medallists.
Germany are still at the top of rankings followed by Australia, Spain and the Netherlands.
Asia Cup bronze-medallists China climbed three positions to move from 16th to 13th place.
Japan dropped from 11th to 14th position while Malaysia lost one place: 15th to 16th.
Top 25 hockey teams of the world:
1: Germany
2: Australia
3: Spain
4: Holland
5: South Korea
6: Pakistan
7: England
8: New Zealand
9: Belgium
10: Argentina,
11: Canada
12: India
13: China
14: Japan
15: South Africa
16: Malaysia
17: France
18: Ireland
19: United States
20: Poland
21: Egypt
22: Austria
23: Scotland
24: Czech Republic
25: Russia.
The Daily Times
Pakistan sixth in FIH rankings
LAHORE: Pakistan have climbed two places in world hockey rankings after reaching the final of the recently-concluded 8th Asia Cup in Malaysia.
Pakistan were placed at a poor eighth spot after the Beijing Olympic Games last year but has climbed up to sixth spot. South Korea, which grabbed the title in the Asia Cup, are now ranked fifth in the world.
According to the latest rankings issued by the International Hockey Federation (FIH), Germany have retained its top spot followed by Australia, Spain, Netherlands and Korea. Besides Pakistan, China have also improved its position by moving to 13th from previous 16th spot.
Other Asia Cup participants dropped a couple of places as well. India went down from the 10th to the 12th position while Japan dropped from 11th to 14th and Malaysia slipped to 16th from its previous 15th ranking.
Dawn
India slips in hockey rankings
Sports Reporter
NEW DELHI: After finishing a disappointing fifth in the recently concluded Asia Cup hockey tournament, India has slipped from 10th to 12th spot in the latest world rankings.
As per the rankings issued by the International Hockey Federation (FIH) on Monday, Pakistan rode on its runner-up performance to climb two slots to the sixth place. Asian champion Korea remains fifth.
The other gainer China, which finished third in the tournament, jumped three notches to the 13th spot.
Japan slid from 11th to 14th while host Malaysia went down from 15th to 16th.
The Hindu
Artificial pitch not their cup of tea
By Jugjet Singh
THE National Juniors played three friendlies against Singapore in the island republic last weekend and found the artificial pitch not to their liking.
Malaysia and Singapore, co-hosts of the June 7-21 Junior World Cup, will accommodate 10 teams each.
Singapore was supposed to host a Four-Nation to test its facilities but could not do so and invited Malaysia instead.
"We played three matches against Singapore and the boys found the artificial pitch a little bumpy. We won all three matches (3-1, 3-0, 1-0). It was a good experience because, if we qualify for the quarter-finals, we might have to play in Singapore," said Juniors coach K. Rajan.
Johor Baru will host Argentina, Belgium, Egypt, Pakistan and Russia (Group A) and England, South Korea, Spain, US and Malaysia (Group C).
Singapore will host Australia, Chile, Germany, Japan and South Africa in Group B. India, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland and Singapore are in Group D.
The juniors are now in Johor getting a feel of the competition venue in Taman Daya.
"It will be strictly training for us until the World Cup but we have lined-up a friendly against Belgium on June 2," said Rajan. "Spain will be arriving on May 29 and have requested for a match but since they are in the same group, I have declined."
Rajan has dropped midfielder Azrin Rizal after he underwent a knee operation, and brought in Shaheed Shah.
"I have 21 players in training and things are looking up. We should be ready to battle for a quarter-final slot when the tournament starts."
New Straits Times
FIH courting Australia and Malaysia as Plan B
By Ajitpal Singh
'KUALA Lumpur and Australia have been shortlisted as Plan B to host next year's World Cup to replace New Delhi.
Apparently, some countries have threatened to withdraw if the World Cup is hosted in New Delhi because of security reasons.
The International Hockey Federation (FIH) has been in constant contact with MHF regarding this but the local body should decline the offer as Malaysia should not aim to compete in the World Cup via the backdoor but instead qualify on merit. '
Jugjet's World of Field Hockey
Hockey on the right track
By Ajitpal Singh
IF Malaysia's performance in the 8th AirAsia Men's Asia Cup is anything to go by, the game is on the right track in the country but some fine tuning is needed to ensure the team make further progress.
Not only have the players shown improvement, but can now match the best in terms of physical fitness and mental demands in the game. But they cannot rest on this and need to push harder.
Interim national coach Tai Beng Hai has done a splendid job of turning the team's fortunes around in just four-and-half months for the tournament.
Many believed Malaysia would lose to South Korea and Japan in the group stage and thus fail to achieve the Malaysian Hockey Federation's (MHF) semi-final target but the players proved their critics wrong.
Malaysia held Korea 1-1 and slammed Japan 4-1 -- both higher ranked teams -- to qualify for the semi-finals.
But the hosts lost momentum in the knockout stage, losing 4-2 to Pakistan in the semi-finals and on penalty strokes (7-6) to China in the bronze medal match.
Both defeats exposed several of the team's weaknesses, though not major ones. The players must learn to maximise the use of their talents, and do so wisely, to penetrate their opponents' half.
It was evident in Kuantan that they lacked variety in creative passing during interchanges from defence to midfield to attack.
This must be rectified soon. Probably, Beng Hai wants his players to put more flair into their game but in the modern game too much of it will not be effective. Just look at Germany.
They may play boring hockey but it's effective and good enough to win world and Olympic titles.
However, the best system may not necessarily work for Malaysia and Beng Hai, after seeing the way his boys play, is surely trying to introduce a more offensive mindset to the team.
To be honest, Malaysia, if they had more time to prepare, could have done far better in Kuantan. However, time was not on Beng Hai's side when he was given the task to handle the national senior team on Jan 5.
For this, the MHF must be blamed as it took too long to find a replacement for Sarjit Singh, who was removed as national coach, last October.
MHF was too busy looking for a world class coach while not realising that the national seniors were losing precious time.
If Beng Hai was appointed sooner, results in the Asia Cup may have been different.
As for Beng Hai, who has met MHF's targets so far, he should be offered a fulltime contract to prepare the team for upcoming tournaments.
However, the fickle-mindedness of MHF is legendry and it might make a U-turn on its decision.
Malaysia's next assignment is the Champions Challenge II in Dublin in July where a good result is vital to boost the team's confidence ahead of November's World Cup Qualifiers.
The grapevine has it that Beng Hai is planning to recruit a few under-21 players after next month's Junior World Cup for senior team training to beef-up the squad. This is also to give deserving juniors the exposure and experience to fill gaps when seniors retire.
Meanwhile, Kuala Lumpur and Australia have been shortlisted as Plan B to host next year's World Cup to replace New Delhi.
Apparently, some countries have threatened to withdraw if the World Cup is hosted in New Delhi because of security reasons.
The International Hockey Federation (FIH) has been in constant contact with MHF regarding this but the local body should decline the offer as Malaysia should not aim to compete in the World Cup via the backdoor but instead qualify on merit.
Jugjet's World of Field Hockey
In Malaysia, hockey remains on the periphery
Uthra Ganesan
Kuantan (Malaysia): For anyone who may wonder why hockey is not considered a global sport, the just-concluded Asia Cup here makes a good case study.
Malaysia are one of the better Asian teams in hockey — they finished fourth in the Asia Cup — but here in Kuantan, not many were aware of the tournament being on. The venue — the Wisma Belia complex, which means “building of youth” in Malay — is a famous landmark. But it’s not because of the tournament, the complex just happens to be a training base for new recruits to the Malaysian maritime forces.
Surprisingly, even most of those who work at the sprawling complex on the outskirts of the city — it houses among other things, a mess, a restaurant and a swimming pool — are ignorant of the tournament till asked about it. Most people on the streets have no idea about hockey, except that it’s a sport dominated by India and Pakistan.
In contrast, the Darul Makmur football stadium is situated in the heart of Kuantan city. It acts as the local bus terminal as well and is known as the central reference point for every direction. At full capacity, the stadium can seat about 30,000 people and sees an audience of around 5,000 people even for local state and district level tournaments, despite an entry fee for every game.
Any remaining doubts on football’s popularity are done away with a glance of the number of playing fields around the city. At any given time, every park and open space in the city has at least a few youngsters dribbling football.
The stadium itself has managed so well that India could perhaps take a few lessons from it. The stadium not only gets grants from the state government, but it also earns its own income through rent from more than two dozen shops running from the premises. The arena, built in 1973, has already played host to the junior World Cup in 1997, the Youth Champions Cup in the same year and regularly hosts Merdeka Cup matches. “No one plays hockey here, football is the most popular sport,” says Radzi, the stadium manager. “Even though our majesty likes hockey better now, the common people prefer football,” he adds.
It isn’t surprising then, to find just a passing mention of the Asia Cup in the media while several pages are devoted to football.
“I am sure hockey will become more popular here now, since the Malaysian Hockey Federation president is from here,” said an MHF official, adding that the support of royalty is very important for any sport to survive.
However, there don’t seem too many takers for this theory. Malaysia is known more for its racquet sports — squash, badminton, table tennis. But here, they are all relegated to the second spot behind football. “I like football. I play it everyday with my friends. It’s all of ours favourite sport,” says Rosmen, a college student.
Indian Express
Freak accident rules Azreen out of the Junior World Cup
By S. RAMAGURU
KUALA LUMPUR: Centre half Azreen Rizal Nasir has been ruled out of the Junior World Cup Finals after suffering a meniscus tear in a freak accident in training.
The national junior hockey team are now in Johor Baru for their final phase of training with 21 players. Malaysia and Singapore are co-hosting the Finals scheduled for June 7-21 and three players will be dropped just before the start of the tournament.
Azreen has been left behind in Kuala Lumpur and he will undergo a knee surgery.
Coach K. Rajan said that Azreen was retrieving a ball from the drain after a training session two weeks ago when he slipped and fell.
“He is one of the players who would have secured a slot in the final squad. It’s a setback to the team even though we have able replacements for him,” he said.
Last week, defender and penalty corner specialist Mohamed Nor Hafiq Abdul Ghaffar had to undergo surgery for appendicitis in Kuantan. The national juniors were in Kuantan for friendly matches against teams taking part in the just concluded Asia Cup.
“Nor Hafiq is recovering well and should be ready to make the final selection. He is a crucial player in the team and it will be difficult to replace him,” said Rajan.
“We also have three other players on the injury list but they will travel with the team when we return to Johor Baru on May 26. They are now in rehab.”
The trio nursing injuries are R. Nadesh, Mohd Sybrie Shamsudin and Mohamed Izzat.
Rajan said that the team would break camp on May 23 for three days before returning to Johor Baru for the final push.
The juniors were in Singapore last week where they played three matches at the new stadium against their counterparts there. The matches were to test facilities at the venue for the Junior World Cup and Malaysia won all of them (3-0, 3-1 and 1-0).
Rajan added that they had two matches more schedule for June 2 and June 4 against Belgium and Pakistan respectively to help him make his selection for the final squad of 18.
Malaysia are in Group C with Spain, England, South Korea and the United States. Group A comprises Argentina, Belgium, Egypt, Pakistan and Russia.
The Group C and A matches will be played in Johor Baru and matches involving teams in the other two groups will be played in Singapore.
Group B comprises Australia, Chile, Germany, Japan and South Africa. Group D has Holland, India, New Zealand, Poland and Singapore.
The Star of Malaysia
Schoolboys rule the roost in a man's world
By Jugjet Singh
SCHOOLBOYS from Bukit Jalil are holding out nicely in a man's world by topping the table after the first weekend of the Malaysia Hockey League's Division One.
And the fact that 13 players from BJSS are Under-16, with the 17 year-olds, makes it both special and alarming.
Special because it means they are indeed worthy of their places in the sports school and alarming because it exposes just how poor the overall quality is in the division, which has no age restriction.
BJSS coach S. Prakash took a gamble when he fielded Under-17 boys in the Under-19 Division Two of the MHL, only to be rewarded with a double and this could also be the scenario in Division One.
"Since we are a sports school and have won many titles, we tried with a young set of players and it was a rewarding experience in Division Two,
"So, we went ahead and fielded more youngsters for the Division One challenge, and so far, the boys have coped well," said Prakash.
BJSS opened accounts by making a strong comeback from being 0-3 down, to draw against Bandar Penawar Sports School (BPSS) who have several pre-university players.
After that, BJSS beat UNIMAP of Perlis 4-1.
"I see a good future in this set of players, and the only problem now is their lack of sharpness in the semi-circle."
New Straits Times
We have to shed the habit of being defensive, says Harendra Singh
Special Correspondent
NEW DELHI: “We know the problem but are not able to solve it. That is Indian hockey’s problem.” Harendra Singh, the National coach who will assist chief coach Jose Brasa, was quite forthcoming in his assessment of the team.
Back from Malaysia after a poor showing in the Asia Cup where India finished fifth, Harendra was not willing to slam the players. “They did their best and I firmly believe they will improve in the times to come. I request hockey fans to be patient with this bunch.”
Not that the team displayed a flawless approach. Among the most glaring shortcomings, according to Harendra, was the habit of going on the defensive. “In modern hockey, you can never relax. Not even when you are leading 5-0. We paid the price of trying to sit on a 2-0 lead (against China). We have to overcome this habit.”
Targets
Harendra listed three targets that the team had set when he took over as the coach. “We have aimed to reach the semifinals of the World Cup, final of the Commonwealth Games and first place at the Asian Games. The European tour (in July-August) will be a testing platform for the team.”
What then were the factors that pleased him most during his tenure as the coach? “The discipline and unity that the team showed right through were exemplary. There were efforts to create problems but then the players responded splendidly. Not one player felt insecure. I feel the biggest gain from the past year is that the team has been scoring consistently.”
What of Dilip Tirkey, who was considered a burden because of his age? “There is no truth in it. He is a fantastic player and deserves all respect because of his sheer performance on the field. Which coach wants to drop a good player? I have always believed in frank communication with the players, especially the seniors.”
Elaborating, Harendra said, “The problem in India is that many fail to differentiate between a player being rested and dropped. Tirkey would be rested and not dropped. Even Tirkey knows it would be tough for him to play every match and hopes to continue until 2010. We have to use him sparingly.”
Harendra, who thanked the Sports Authority of India and the Sports Ministry for supporting hockey, said, “I have told the players that the credit for every victory is theirs and the blame for every defeat is mine. Their job is to just concentrate on the game and give their best. It is a wonderful bunch we have.”
Looking ahead, Harendra noted, “I will be with the team and have enjoyed a good interaction with Brasa during the Asia Cup. I will be a kind of linkman between the players and Brasa. He is keen to learn our style, culture and I am looking forward to working with him. Under his guidance, I am sure Indian hockey will gain respect.”
The Hindu
Five to miss national hockey trials
Five leading players - Emily Naylor, Kayla Sharland, Krystal Forgesson, Beth Jurgeleit and Kate Mahon - will miss next week's New Zealand women's hockey trials because of club commitments in Europe.
They have been replaced by White Ferns cricketer, Sophie Devine, Natasha Fitzsimons, Sam Harrison, Nicola Howes, Carli Michelsen, Sally Rutherford and Petrea Webster.
The trials will be held at Auckland from May 25-29 before slectors Mark Hager, Chris Leslie and former international skipper, Tina Bell-Kake.
The trialists are: Stacey Brannigan, Rhianna Buchanan, Stacey Carr, Sophie Devine, Honor Dillon, Clarissa Eshuis, Cathryn Finlayson, Natasha Fitzsimons, Gemma Flynn, Katie Glynn, Amanda Green, Kimberley Green, Ella Gunson, Piki Hamahona, Sam Harrison, Charlotte Harrison, Nicola Howes, Bridget Kight, Jasmine McQuinn, Carli Michelsen, Stacey Michelsen, Alana Millington, Liz Perry, Anita Punt, Bianca Russell, Sally Rutherford, Kate Saunders, Kate Savory, Lucy Talbot, Anna Thorpe, Petrea Webster.
Stuff
Niniwa Roberts misses selection but still hopeful
JONATHAN MILLMOW
Long-serving international hockey striker Niniwa Roberts bares no malice towards new coach Mark Hager despite being overlooked for the Black Sticks trials in Auckland next week.
Hager has named 31 players for the trials but still could not find room for Roberts, who has played more than 130 tests, been to two Olympics and was the top scorer in last year's national league.
"Mark explained to me that he is looking at players who will be around in 2012 [Olympics in London]," Roberts said. "I had my sights set on being in the team again but I can see where he is coming from. Still, I'm not retiring, I'm going to play national league again for Wellington and who knows what might happen from there."
The list of who won't be at the trials is long and headed by captain Lizzy Igasan, who is unavailable until the end of the year because of work commitments.
Jaimee Claxton is pregnant and Emily Naylor, Kayla Sharland, Krystal Forgesson, Beth Jurgeleit and Kate Mahon have club commitments in Europe. They have been replaced by White Ferns cricketer Sophie Devine, Natasha Fitzsimons, Sam Harrison, Nicola Howes, Carli Michelsen, Sally Rutherford and Petrea Webster.The week-long trials begin on Monday and at their completion selectors Hager, Chris Leslie and former international Tina Bell-Kake will name a 24-strong squad.
Stuff
Pakistan hockey team returns with silver medal
Staff Report
KARACHI: The Pakistan hockey squad, who won a silver medal in the 8th Asia Cup Hockey Tournament in Malaysia on Saturday, reached back home here on Monday. Pakistan lost the final 0-1 against South Korea. The team was warmly received and garlanded by officials of the Pakistan Hockey Federation, Sindh Hockey Association and Karachi Hockey Association at the Quaid-e-Azam International Airport. The players belonging to other provinces took connecting flights.
The Daily Times
Tazelaar praises PHF initiatives
KARACHI: Dutch coach Wouter Erik Tezelaar praised Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) initiatives to uplift the game of hockey from grass-root level.
Tazelaar has been hired by PHF to improve hockey structure from grass root level. Talking to PPI during his visit at PHF Academy at Hockey Club of Pakistan, Wouter said: “Setting academies is a good enterprise to uplift the game of hockey. But players in the academy just started playing hockey and it will take them at least two years to play hockey properly.”
However, Tazelaar added that the boys were motivated and are spirited so they would learn quickly. “If the academy produces three to four players who can secure berth in the national team then I think it will be a job well done. And, I see two or three talented player in this lot,” he said.
He said that Pakistan hockey must work hard to bring the game back to its past standard. “Pakistan must play against teams like Belgium and England so that they can learn how to beat them and get consistency with that,” he said.
He suggested Pakistan hockey team should have eleven attackers as well as eleven defenders ready to play so that they could have two extreme strategies. “They must also learn 70 minutes of attack as well as 70 minutes of defense. There is a problem in passing so they must work on this aspect of the game,” he added.
“There must be weekly tournaments to make players totally fit. Karachi team must visit Lahore (and vice versa) and different tournaments must be played regularly,” he said. “We played well in Asia Cup. But the importance of that tournament was that we could have qualified for the World Cup 2010 by winning the title. Now we must look at World Cup 2010 and prepare for it.”
Academy coach Asif Ahmed Khan told PPI that the strength of the Academy is 33 but 25 players appeared in the practice session as others have been taking academic papers. Asif said that there are eleven U14 players and as many U15 and U16 players. Asif added that PHF provided everything that they were promised of.
The News International
Paradise hockey men stun Dames
Paradise pulled off the biggest upset of the T&T Hockey Board Men’s Championship Division season with a 3-1 whipping of defending champions, Notre Dame on Saturday.
This was in one of three matches played at the Dwight Yorke Stadium, Bacolet, training field. Having won their first four matches, the Dames who were without team leader Brian Gracia, were expected to come away with another win, took a sixth-minute lead via a Tobias Ottley field goal. That lead lasted only one minute as Brent Graham got Paradise on level terms and just before half-time Vernell Rivers was called. His score pushed Paradise to a 2-1 lead.
With two minutes left in the match, Jerald Thompson sealed Paradise’s victory.
In the Women’s Championship Division, Paradise was also victorious, 4-1 over visiting Raiders.
Maurisa Nicholson opened the scoring for Paradise in the second minute while Kai Cadett made it 2-0 in the 26th.
Krizia Layne pulled one back for Raiders, but any hopes of a revival was ended when Shelly Hughes (65th) and Dixie-Ann Daniel (68th) netted for Paradise.
The Trinidad Guardian
Orissa win hockey tourney
Pune: Orissa won the Rajesh Pillay Academy Invitational hockey tournament after beating Vikram Pillay Academy 3-1 in the final of the tournament held at the Major Dhyanchand stadium in Pimpri on Sunday.
Orissa were off to a solid start when they scored a goal in the second minute through Dhanchand Munda. They took a lot of confidence from this goal and were dominating possession. They applied a lot of pressure on the opposition goal and this pressure came good in the 26th minute when they extended their lead through Amardeep Ekka. The half ended 2-0.
It was more of the same from Orissa in the second half and it did not take long for them to have the game wrapped up. Amit Rohidas scored for them in the 34th minute and put the game to bed. VPA launched a late attack and got a consolation goal through Cyril Bernard but they were not able to get anything out of the game. The match ended 3-1.
Indian Express