KUALA LUMPUR – Former national hockey player Datuk Seri N. Sri Shanmuganathan has voiced his concerns about the readiness of the Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) to host the upcoming men’s Hockey Junior World Cup.
The three-time Olympian (1968, 1972 and 1976) questions the justification for MHC hosting the tournament, considering the recent performances of the Malaysian junior team.
“Firstly, I believe that MHC and the players are completely unprepared for the junior World Cup, and I don’t see any justification for us suddenly hosting the tournament.
“The performance of our junior players in their latest European tour was horrendous.
“Without a doubt, we could be on the brink of an early exit in this tournament with the current team. We are grouped with some of the top hockey nations in the world, which are far superior to us.
“I don’t think we will even stand a chance against teams like Argentina in the tournament,” Shanmuganathan said.
The 76-year-old legend pointed out the disparity between Malaysia’s junior development programmes and those of its competitors.
“Over the years, I have never seen any effective development programs implemented by MHC for the juniors. There should be a proper development plan by MHC spanning at least five to eight years to see any potential from the junior players.
“MHC’s planning over the years has been bad, and this is unacceptable,” said Shanmuganathan, who captained the 1975 World Cup team that finished fourth at Stadium Merdeka.
Shanmuganathan said that MHC has to give importance to elevating the performance of the junior team to ensure that the sport remains relevant in the eyes of the younger generation.
“It’s so sad to see that support for the sport has been declining over the years. If you want Malaysians to flock to support the team, the team should be winning medals first and prove to the public that they deserve support.
“You can’t expect support when you don’t perform. MHC should take this matter into serious consideration,” Shanmuganathan added.
The junior Speedy Tigers conceded a cumulative total of 17 goals against Germany, France, and England on their recent European tour.
The 13th edition of the men’s Hockey Junior World Cup will be hosted in Kuala Lumpur from December 5 to 16.
The team are placed in Pool A alongside defending champions Argentina, Australia, and Chile.
Malaysia’s best performance in the tournament came in the 2013 edition in New Delhi, India, where they finished fourth out of 16 teams. – September 27, 2023