KUALA LUMPUR – Sarjit Singh has dismissed criticism over his reliance on familiar players for the Speedy Tigers, vowing to stay true to his approach of incorporating new faces into the squad.
The national hockey head coach’s response came following reports of him having to depend on the same players and lacking options due to the low number of teams participating in the recently concluded Malaysian Hockey League (MHL).
Speaking to Scoop, Sarjit said that he has included six new faces in his 30-man squad for the upcoming Australian tour, which is scheduled to take place next month in preparation for the FIH Nations Cup.
Among the players chosen by Sarjit in the recently concluded MHL – whose ages range from 19 to 23 – are players such as Muhamad Faris Harizan (defender), Andywalfian Jeffrynus (defender), Azimuddin Syakir Kamaruddin (forward), Adrian Andy Albert (goalkeeper), Che Shahrul Azmi (goalkeeper), Mohamad Rafaizul Mohammad Saini (goalkeeper), and Muhammad Danish Afnan (goalkeeper).
“If you look at my track record since becoming the head coach, I have never shied away from introducing new players into the team, and I firmly believe that players who are good deserve a chance to play for the national team.
“There’s no reason for certain critics to say that I will be relying on the same faces and that I won’t have options. If they (properly) observe my team list in the tournaments we compete in, they will understand the foundation of the team.
“Of course, I do rely on several senior players such as Marhan Jalil, Fitri Saari, Faiz Hilmi, and Muhammad Hafizuddin, but that’s because I need them to share their knowledge with the younger players. Even when they are not available, I still have strong backup, as I continue to scout for fresh faces on a regular basis.
Sarjit also stressed that he is in the job “for a reason”, vowing to give all players the chance to play for the national team.
“If a player is good, they will definitely be on my radar.”
He also hit back at critics for their allegations, saying: “If those who criticise know more about hockey, I hope they can contribute by becoming coaches themselves, scouting, and including players they think are good for the national team.
“It’s easy to talk from the outside, but only we coaches know how much effort we put in to find the right players,” the coach said when met at the Bukit Jalil National Hockey Stadium yesterday.
Sarjit, with an average squad age of 25.7 years, will travel to Perth from April 18 to 30 for a series of friendlies against Western Australia and world number six Australia in a six-match friendly series.
The Nations Cup, scheduled for June 15 to 21 in Kuala Lumpur, will see Sarjit’s team aiming for a top-four finish, as set by the Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC). Malaysia, ranked world number 13, will be grouped with France, South Korea, and Wales.
In the previous edition of the Nations Cup, which serves as a qualifier for the prestigious FIH Pro League, Malaysia finished seventh out of nine teams. – February 27, 2024