Malaysian Hockey is facing a very real dilemma, and one that is common in modern sport. It is a dilemma which in a country where manners and protocols are so important is enmeshed in cultural mores as well.
In 2013 Malaysia’s Hockey team lost a thrilling final at the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup to Australia with Trent Mitton scoring the winner in the dying seconds. In 2014 Malaysia finished second again losing to Australia, this time Chris Cirello was the destroyer scoring four penally corners.
In 2015 Malaysia finished last. There was plenty of Rhetoric from the coaching staff saying that there were “positive signs,” and that the team was on track for the World League semi finals, and the chance of qualifying for the Rio Olympics in 2016.
Yet many who follow the game and care about the state of Malaysian Hockey, a country that hosts so many great tournaments, could see that things are far from being on the right track.
For a start the coach at the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, Tai Being Hai was in the role as national coach for the third time. Malaysia has had 43 National Coaches in 60 years (1955-2015). Nine of those coaches have returned for a second term, five of those nine have had two terms in charge, one has had four terms and another five.
Now in many cases a coach will come back to the position a great deal wiser the second time around, but it appears that Malaysia returns to the past far too frequently with very little gain.
Going back to the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in 2013, Malaysia has had three different coaches in charge in the past three tournaments as well as an interim coach in between. They are due appoint another new coach Australian Neil Hawgood in the coming weeks.
This is one of the problems. The coaching personnel are changing more frequently than the playing personnel.
This is happening for two reasons, firstly the media are quick to lambast the coach for a below expectation performance rather than turning their attention to players who are under performing, or not following instructions. Secondly some of those in the hierarchy of Malaysian Hockey are placing unrealistic expectations on the team, and setting them up to fail. While others are listening to the whinging of certain players, rather than telling the players to go and talk to the coaching staff if they have an issue.
It is always good to aim high, but sometimes there is a need for perspective. There were comments in the paper leading up to the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup 2015 that Malaysia were given a target of winning the competition; something they have failed to do in 23 previous editions. Yet with World Number one side Australia competing, – Malaysia is ranked 12, only Canada were ranked lower – this was always going to be a big ask. To make the final should have been the target, and then see what happens.
So why did Malaysia sink from silver to the wooden spoon? There were 12 players in the 18 man squad for 2015 who played in the side that lost to Australia in 2013. There were ten players from the squad that won silver last year. Six players played in both finals.
The reason would appear to be player power. Paul Revington coach in 2013 tried to change his squad. He left a couple of key senior players out of several squads for key tournaments and tours. Understandably these players were not happy and raised the issue with those in administration. They were restored to the side.
When Paul Revington left he was replaced by Dharma Raj, a local coach who had steered Malaysia to their first ever Junior Asia Cup victory. He had nurtured a talented group of players to believe and prove that they could compete with the best. At the Junior World Cup he steered his team to the bronze medal match, where they lost to the Netherlands. However it is important to note that Malaysia despite its talented youth had not reached such a game since 1985, a period of 28 years!
Dharma Raj, when appointed National coach was very clear in his vision, to make the pool of players that he had to select from bigger. Australia have done this successfully for a number of years, and players are left out of some key tournaments, but are selected for others. The key goal is to keep the national team at the top consistently, and to have cover for injuries and retirements. To show how he was on the right track five of his Juniors were in the squad at this year’s Sultan Azlan Shah Cup.
Dharma Raj looked to introduce many of his young players to the national set-up. he knew that some would struggle initially with the step-up, but his was a long term plan. Needless to say senior established players again did not like sitting out tournaments and seeing younger players come in and perform well. No longer was it about the success of the national team, it was personal.
Once more senior players went above the coach and allegedly, due to unpaid bonuses, demanded that they be selected for the World Cup as compensation.
Malaysia had not qualified for a World Cup since 2002, a twelve year period. So none of the players had experienced that thrill, and understandably wanted to be a part of it. Pressure was applied and the coach did not head to the Netherlands with the squad he would have selected. Malaysia finished last and did not win a game.
At the Commonwealth Games he selected a much younger squad, and had advised that he would do so, as he was building for the future; Understandable after the World Cup. Malaysia finished 7th out of 12 teams but defeat against Trinidad and Tobago was the result on which many at the Confederation focussed. Dharma Raj was sacked.
Has Malaysian learned from the experiences of Revington and Dharma Raj? It would appear not. Fourteen players from the World Cup team that came last and failed to win a game, played in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup where they came last again. Six players were from the Commonwealth Games. Although only three players played in all three tournaments.
The confederation has to select a coach and back that coach for the term of his contract. Constant change is destabilising the team. It is also seeing players who need to be moved on stay in the team longer than they should, which again has a negative impact on the team as a whole. They must also not listen to the bickering of the players and leave that to the coaching staff to sort out.
Post Commonwealth Games Dharma Raj was quoted as saying “We all tend to assume that Malaysia are a great team when, in actual fact, we are not.” Sometimes the truth hurts. Especially in the reserved culture of Malaysia. There is a reason Malaysia is ranked 12th in the World; as it happens exactly where they finished at the World Cup! This does not mean Malaysia does not have the potential to be a great team, but they need to create a larger pool of players from which to select their best team. The best team must always be selected on merit and that alone. It should not have anything to do with reputation or monies owed.
Ask anyone in Hockey and they will tell you Malaysia has huge potential, we have seen glimpses of that with their appearances in the finals of the 2013 and 2014 Sultan Azlan Shah Cups. Is Malaysia fulfilling that potential at the moment? No they sadly are not, and that is why this year’s results are disappointing and things have to change.
Ashley Morrison has commentated the past four Sultan Azlan Shah Cups for Astro Arena.
