Malaysian Hockey Coach Tai Beng Hai dissatisfy with the team’s performance
Tai Beng Hai, the coach of the Malaysian hockey team is not happy with the performance of the squad that is competing in the 20th Sultan Azlan Shah Cup at the home soil, as they lost all the games played so far.
The Malaysian team will have to win their match against India, scheduled on Monday, May 09, if they want to get a position among the top four teams in the event. The host team played two contests so far, losing a game by a last minute goal against
Australia and the other against Great Britain by two goals. They will have to start getting points in the upcoming fixtures in order to get the target fixed by the Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC).
While speaking to the media, the Malaysian trainer was of the opinion that they failed to meet their targets fixed in the opening games. He stated, "Things have not been going according to plan and while we did not play up to our normal standards against
Great Britain, we ought to have got at least a point against the Australians."
He further said that the young players in the squad displayed a reasonable performance that predicts a hopeful sport's future in the country. They are required to face more high-profile squads in order to prepare themselves for the qualifiers to the
2012 London Olympics, he added.
The Malaysian side requires at least seven points through some upsets in the event, in order to meet their target of getting a spot among the top fours. The competition against India will be attention-grabbing, as they had defeated India in the semi-finals
of the 16th Asian Games held last year in Guangzhou, China.
The Indian team will try to show a better performance as compared to them, despite missing some key players in the next fixture, Tai Beng Hai maintained. He said that they would have to play an unruffled game against India that is comprised of some
outstanding youngsters.
Beng Hai informed that Kevinder Singh has been replaced with injured Mohd Madzli Ikmar at the midfield position while Azlan Misron will be placed at the defensive position. In his views, it is a great chance for Kevinder to prove his worth in the international
hockey.
Commenting on the other players in the squad, he applauded the performances of Mohd Firhan Ashaari, Mohammad Izzat Mohd Rahim and Mohd Azammi Adabi. He anticipated that they would continue learning skills and techniques, as they have long way to participate
in the international hockey.
In the forth-coming fixtures, they will face India on Monday, New Zealand on Wednesday, South Korea on Thursday and Pakistan on Saturday.
Tags: