Hockey: Level playing field for under-21 tournament

In the absence of national junior players, all teams have equal chances of winning the National Under-21 tournament starting today at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil.

Thirty-two players are in the national junior training squad and they have been barred from playing in the tournament.

Twelve teams will feature in the tournament with defending champions Perak, Pahang, Negri Sembilan, Penang, Kedah and Kelantan drawn in Group A.

Malacca are drawn in Group B with Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Johor, Perlis and Terengganu.

Team managers and coaches have given the thumbs-up to the organisers for barring the national juniors from the tournament.

KL team manager Abdulah Yunus said that besides giving equal footing for all the teams in the tournament, it also gives opportunity for new players to shine in the tournament.

“These players need all the exposure they can get. Furthermore, it also gives new players a chance to earn a place in the national junior team.

“If the national juniors play in the tournament it will not benefit them as they have enough exposure and it would hinder new players from proving themselves,” said Abdulah.

He added that KL have have set a semi-final target although they will not have seven players who are now training with the national junior squad.

Perak coach Mokhtar Baharuddin also agrees with the decision and said the tournament would provide an equal playing field to all the teams in the tournament.

“Without the national juniors, every team's strength is unknown, hence making the tournament more open and interesting.

“It will also gives the national selectors a chance to look for talented players during the tournament,'' said Mokhtar.

Selangor coach Paul Raj said that he too supports the decision.

“It's better to have an equal chance for all the teams rather than see one team with the most number of national juniors winning the tournament.

“Each team registered 18 players and with 12 teams in the tournament, there are 216 players who have the chance to shine in the tournament and earn a place in the junior or senior national teams,'' said Paul.

However, Malacca, who finished runners-up at their own backyard in the last tournament in 2005, will have the services of former national junior trainee B. Namasivayam.

Besides Namasivayam, they also have a good penalty corner flicker in Nazmi Kamarudin.

And most of the coaches believe that Malacca are the favourites to win the title.