KUALA LUMPUR – The Speedy Tigers have hired Pakistan hockey legend Sohail Abbas in a bid to re-establish Malaysia as one of the top hockey contenders in the world.
Abbas was officially introduced by the Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) President, Datuk Seri Subahan Kamal, at its headquarters in Bukit Jalil today.
Widely regarded as the world’s best-ever penalty corner specialist, Abbas is expected to be a valuable asset to the national coaching team, currently headed by Sarjit Singh.
At 49, Abbas will begin his first assignment with the Speedy Tigers tomorrow in the 2024 Tun Abdul Razak Cup campaign in Johor Bahru.
His contract runs for one year, with the option to extend for another year, during which he will also assist in preparing the men’s and women’s junior squads for the 2024 Junior Asia Cup in Muscat, Oman, next November.
In January last year, MHC appointed Malaysian legend S. Kuhan as a penalty corner advisor to further enhance the Speedy Tigers’ performance.
Two months later, MHC brought in former Australian specialist Christopher Ciriello, a 2014 World Cup winner and bronze medallist at the 2012 London Olympics.
Despite these efforts, the national squad has continued to struggle with converting penalty corners into goals in recent international matches. – October 1, 2024