Saturday, June 16, 2012

CLUB OR COUNTRY?

We have gone through this issue numerous times and it shall rear it's ugly head yet again this year.

With the Razak Cup scheduled for early September, the timing of the Malaysian Hockey League is once again the subject of debate and we await what will come out of the MHC Executive Board that meets Sunday.

Initially it was said that failure to make the Olympics will ensure that the MHL will be given due attention and clubs need not worry on getting their players released from national duty.

Now with the Razak Cup moved to September, the league can only start mid September.

And in November while the Juniors play in the Sultan of Johor Cup, there is an overlapping with the senior side who will play in the Champions Challenge 1 in Argentina.

Meaning the club v country debate will now not only affect the seniors but juniors as well.

So what are the priorities? What will be the decision of the EB?

Will they decide to scrape the MHL? Will they decide that the Project 2013 side get first pickings and sacrifice the Champions Challenge?

Or will the Champions Challenge side be given priority and set a mediocre target so that the players and officials earn lavish bonus?

Ah yes then we have that yet to be solved issue about the new national coach!

With Tai Being Hai to be named as the new Coaching Director, will the new national coach be answerable to a coach that failed to take us to the World Cup and Olympics?

And what about the NTCC? What will be the role of Stephen van Huizen since the roles are reversed and Beng Hai will now be his boss?

Before I forget, whatever will happen to Sapura who have held negotiations with the two mentioned above? Will Sapura now have to also sacrifice for national service due to the incompetency of several office bearers in MHC who obviously have no inkling how hockey is run?

Then we have the issue of Hashim Yusof who is reportedly joined Johor HA? Another club v country if they talk Hashim out of it. Will the Secretary General release the letter of resignation so the truth will prevail or he rather keep quiet so as to protect the person who was also responsible for Mike resigning?