KUALA LUMPUR – Newly appointed national junior hockey head coach Nor Saiful Zaini is on a mission — not just to build a winning side, but to instil a deeper understanding of what it means to be a hockey player.
The 59-year-old Olympian, who replaces I. Vikneswaran in the role, told Scoop he is disheartened by what he sees as a decline in attitude and commitment among the current generation of young players compared to his own playing days.
Saiful believes their lack of priorities is taking a toll on Malaysia’s hockey development and performances on the pitch — a trend he is determined to reverse during his time in charge.
“Results and winning are definitely important for a coach, but more than that, I want to change the attitude of today’s young players and ensure they prioritise hockey above everything else in their lives,” he said.
“Many hockey players nowadays fail to understand the purpose of being a hockey player, and it’s very different compared to my time. Back then, players like myself, Datuk Mirnawan Nawawi, Roslan Jamaluddin, and Gobinathan Krishnamurthy had the urge, desire, and focus to succeed — and that automatically reflected in our performances on the turf.”
“Nowadays, players are lacking that mindset. Some of these youngsters treat the sport as a leisure-time activity, and that’s the mentality I need to change. This will be one of the biggest challenges in my tenure.”
“Sometimes, we can bring in the best coaches from Malaysia or around the world to lead a team, but if the players don’t click, it’s very hard for anyone to get results. Players also need to understand that the game is evolving — they either adapt and follow, or they fade away.”
Saiful is currently evaluating the 37 players in the national junior squad, which he plans to trim down ahead of this year’s Junior World Cup (JWC).
“I don’t have much time. I need to start evaluating the 37 players currently in the squad before trimming it down, but I’m confident we will see changes. I’m on a mission to make it happen before we head to the Junior World Cup.”
The former Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) coach also stressed he will not show favouritism in team selection, insisting players will be picked on merit regardless of club affiliation.
Saiful, who led TNB to a domestic treble in last year’s Malaysia Hockey League, previously served as national junior head coach from 2016 to 2020.
He has also been instrumental in talent development through the TNB Thunderbolt programme, under the Malaysia Hockey Confederation (MHC).
“Development programmes in Malaysia are not as established compared to countries in Europe, such as Spain and the Netherlands, or even South American nations like Argentina. This limits our talent pool. That’s why you see several TNB players in the national team — they’ve come through a structured development system.
“But of course, if there are better players outside of TNB, I am more than happy to include them — provided they are not individualistic, can play as part of a team, and are capable of performing at international level.
“I am definitely not a coach who is biased or who selects players based on race or religion. All players will be chosen strictly on merit.”
Saiful added that he would soon hold discussions with national senior team head coach Sarjit Singh and the coaching committee to assess where the junior squad needs strengthening.
“For now, I need a good goalkeeper, strong flickers, and solid defensive players.”
Saiful is expected to finalise his backroom staff in collaboration with MHC and TNB ahead of the Junior World Cup.
The Young Tigers finished fourth at the Junior Asia Cup in Oman last December, behind champions India, runners-up Pakistan, and third-placed Japan — securing qualification for the 2025 Junior World Cup. — May 14, 2025