KUALA LUMPUR – National hockey midfielder Fitri Saari has urged his younger teammates to man up and voice their concerns to the senior players instead of staying silent.
The veteran player made his comments after Malaysia battled to a 4-2 win over South Africa in the fifth to eighth classification match of the Nations Cup at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil yesterday.
The win has earned the Speedy Tigers a spot in the fifth-place playoff against Wales later today.
Speaking to reporters after the match, Fitri said that the younger players must break out of their shells and start engaging more actively with the seniors if they want to grow and improve in the national setup.
“If we look at the young players in the team nowadays, they tend to be too shy to speak up about the issues they face in their gameplay, especially during team discussions.
“This attitude needs to change if they want to become quality hockey players. Keeping things to themselves will eventually reflect in their performances on the turf.
“We, the senior players, are always ready to help them improve their game. The door is always open for them to learn as much as they want from us,” said Fitri.
Fitri also praised the team’s performance against South Africa and expressed hope to end their Nations Cup campaign on a high by clinching fifth place.
“We played really well against a strong side, and it’s never easy to beat South Africa. We need to maintain this momentum and make the nation and our fans proud with a fifth-place finish,” he added.
Meanwhile, national defender Syafiq Hassan said he is determined to repay the faith shown by head coach Sarjit Singh by continuing to deliver strong performances for the Speedy Tigers.
“I’m very grateful to coach Sarjit for giving me this opportunity, believing in me, and fielding me in the match. I believe I gave my best to help the national team secure the win.
“For years, I was not on the national team’s radar, so being back is something special for me. I want to maintain my form and keep giving my best whenever I’m given the opportunity,” said Syafiq.
Earlier, Wales defeated Japan 6-4 to book their place in the classification match against Malaysia today at 4pm. — June 21, 2025