The failure in Johor Bahru is behind us but this failure should now make us plan in a better way for the future. I personally feel that the PHF should identify 8-10 educated individuals (not necessarily former players) and put them through crash coaching courses under a foreign expert so that this bunch of trained coaches has uniform training strategy.
The most important element in the Australian junior training programme is the uniformity in their coaching strategies. It was interesting to find out from him that all the coaches associated with junior training programmes in Australia are made to frequently meet to ensure that their game plans and strategies are similar with a result that whenever a junior team is selected, they are well aware of the drills and the game plans that they are supposed to follow.
I personally thought that Khawaja Junaid and Tahir Zaman were ideally suited for this sort of assignment but Khwaja Junaid is now doing well as manager of the Pakistan national team and it may not be advisable to withdraw him before London Olympics. Tahir Zaman, however, maybe roped in for this assignment. The second key element is to train a similar bunch in the art of physical fitness of hockey players. This again needs to be done through a foreign expert. However all these suggestions notwithstanding, the PHF should have an in house meeting to reevaluate their existing youth development plan.
Just introducing hockey academies is no solution unless they have the inherent strength and technical expertise to deliver. The junior event in Johor Bahru was the first real test and it should give the hockey federation education for future. Umpiring in Sultan Johor Bahru International Junior Tournament was of very poor quality. This was the unanimous opinion of the exerts, director umpiring of the tournament and almost all the team coaches. There was one instance in which the South Korean goalkeeper was shown the red card and a penalty stroke was also awarded for the same offence. As far as I can remember this is perhaps the second instance of its type in the entire history of international hockey. The Koreans almost walked off but were stopped by their coach. It was with great difficulty that they were persuaded to continue. I have already discussed this issue with Mr. Leandro Negre, FIH president, and he agrees that steps are required to improve international umpiring. I personally feel that International Hockey Federation (FIH) must evolve a policy decision whereby independent videos of all international events are produced which are then scrutinized by a specialist umpiring committee on a regular basis. There should be absolutely no room for incompetent umpires regardless of the backing of their national federations. This is something that the FIH must decide quickly.
Malaysia has now overtaken Pakistan and India as the leading organisers of international events in Asia. Johor Bahru Junior Hockey Tournament is an excellent addition as it will give junior teams a platform for exposure. Malaysia is already holding the Sultan Azlan Shah Tournament regularly and they have now established state of the art hockey academy which implies that they will soon be a force in Asia to reckon with. Their victory against India in last Asian Games was no surprise and the victory of their junior team in this international junior event was a proof of the fact that they have excellent reserve talent pool.
Hockey is also picking up as a spectator sport in Malaysia and the small stadium in Johor Bahru was jam-packed especially when the home team was playing. One hopes that this event will become an annual event as there is no other such tournament for the junior age group.
End.
