KUALA LUMPUR – National hockey icon Datuk Mirnawan Nawawi urges netizens to support the national men’s hockey team instead of slamming their performance at the Paris Olympic qualifiers in Oman.
The former Olympian, who is also the team manager for the Speedy Tigers, said it is important for fans to rally behind the team and shower them with support so that they can show their full potential.
“The players are representing the nation, and everyone needs to give their 100% support to the team, as each of them is working hard to achieve the targeted mission.
“It’s easy to criticise, but only the players know how much effort they need to put on the turf to get the desired results.
“I’m not only speaking on behalf of hockey but for all sports. Malaysians should support all athletes participating in international competitions, as it’s a form of respect for those who fight for the nation.
“Yes, we did lose our opening two matches, but it’s not the end for us as we have one more game to go. I humbly request the fans stick with the team until our campaign is over,” said Mirnawan when contacted by Scoop yesterday.
Malaysia lost 3-2 in their opening match against China on Monday and were defeated 4-1 by Great Britain in their second group match the next day.
Malaysia currently ranks at the bottom of Pool A with zero points and a negative four-goal difference.
Mirnawan also addressed the criticism received about head coach Arul Selvaraj’s tactics and senior player Marhan Jalil’s performance in the ongoing qualifying campaign.
“Marhan Jalil is the best we have in the country, and his contribution to the game is massive. He has been doing very well and has been an inspiration to the whole team and the youngsters in the sport.
“Throughout this tournament, he has been working hard with his explosive runs, and even when he had a slight knock on his finger in the match against Great Britain, he continued playing without requesting to be substituted, showing how committed he is to the game.
“The same goes for coach Arul; he has been working tirelessly to give his best to the players through his training. Hence, it’s not right for fans to pick on both of them after a couple of defeats.
“We have pledged to go all out in our upcoming match against Pakistan and make sure that we capitalise on every chance we get. We need the fans’ support to ensure that we can prevail in our battle,” Mirnawan added.
Malaysia has faced Pakistan on 33 occasions in the past, with the Speedy Tigers only having a 14.71% winning percentage against them.
The last time the two sides met was during the Hangzhou Asian Games in September last year, where the Speedy Tigers were defeated 5-2.
Arul’s Speedy Tigers currently hold the 13th position in the world rankings with 1,881.87 points. – January 18, 2024