Though
still at planning stage, several youngsters from the Project 2013 squad and the
national squad will be sent to play in leagues overseas to ensure that they
improve their skill level for the betterment of Malaysian hockey.
In
revealing this, National Sports Council Director General Dato Zolkples Embong
said that talks are being initiated with several countries to enable players to
ply their trade in overseas leagues.
“We
are in the process of negotiating with several clubs from three countries and
hopefully are able to settle this by the end of June,” said Zolkples when met
in Malacca.
“We
realize that our players need to be exposed in foreign leagues in order to
become complete players and hence the NSC, with the blessings of the MHC has
started working on this matter.
“It
is not easy to get a place amongst top clubs but then again we need to tray as
the stint will help Malaysian hockey long term.
“I
am optimistic that if we were to do this right, then as many as 12 to 18
players will be able to benefit from this arrangement.”
The
last time the NSC took a lead role in seeking clubs for hockey players was in
1997, prior to the World Cup Qualifiers.
Five
players, namely R. Shanker, Chairil Anwar Abdul Aziz, Nor Azlan Bakar, S. Kuhan
and Kerpal Singh went on a three month stints with clubs in Germany. While
Kuhan and Kerpal played for Limburg HC, Shanker represented Safo HC while
Chairl and Nor Azlan donned the colours of Frankfurt 1880.
The
stint paid dividends as the players were more matured and helped Malaysia
qualify for the 1998 Utrecht World Cup, after a hiatus of 16 years as the last
time Malaysia played in the World Cup prior to that was in the 1982 edition in
Bombay.
There
have been some players who have been over the past few years playing in foreign
leagues – S. Selvarajoo, Chua Boon Huat, Mohd Sallehin Ghani, Kuhan, Faisal
Saari and S. Bubalan, but none was a
concentrated effort by NSC or MHC.
Dato
Zolkples said that he had discussed this matter with Tengku Abdullah Sultan
Ahmad Shah, the President of MHC and had received the green light to proceed
making arrangements.
“I
have contacted several parties on this matter and we are at the moment
compiling the clips and bio-data of these potential players for consideration
of the clubs,” said Zolkples.
“We
have to market these players and only then can we look at more possibilities in
order to strengthen the national senior and junior sides.”
