Below is an article that appeared in The Star 25th August with regards to the reluctance of the MHC to allow their new national coach to be interviewed.
In a way I am vindicated as the main stream media too have taken a stand on this matter and highlighted " the protocols " that MHC are now adopting.
Read on.....
www.thestar.com.my
By AFTAR SINGH
KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) apparently care more about protocol than getting the job done.
How else does one explain the refusal of the MHC to allow newly-appointed national hockey coach Paul Revington to speak to the press? Have the MHC adopted a new policy that gags their coaches and officials from speaking freely?
It would appear so as the South African, who has been in Malaysia since Aug 9, has refused to be interviewed by journalists.
When asked why, MHC secretary Johari Aziz said it was on the orders of MHC president Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah.
“Tengku Abdullah will set a date for a press conference during which Revington and his assistant, Arul Selvaraj, will sign an official agreement with MHC.
“Both Paul and Arul will be allowed to talk to the reporters after the signing ceremony,” said Johari.
But why are MHC dilly-dallying – taking so long to set a date to sign the agreement when the coach has already been here for more than two weeks? And wasn’t he picked well before that? Surely, he is already being paid to be here in the first place?
Are they waiting for a propitious day that will guarantee success in all future undertakings?
Or is it the old malady of procrastination? The lack of urgency in doing anything of importance.
Revington and former Malaysian international Arul will replace Tai Beng Hai and his assistant Nor Saiful Zaini as the new national coaches when the MHC finally get around to endorsing it.
Under Beng Hai’s guidance, the team failed to qualify for the London Olympics – Malaysian hockey’s third consecutive absence from the Games.
Revington and Arul were in charge of Ireland for the qualifiers in Dublin, where Malaysia finished third.
Revington’s first assignment as the national coach, once he gets the official clearance, will be the Champions Challenge 1 in Quilmes, Argentina, from Nov 24-Dec 2.
The South African will use the Malaysian Hockey League (MHL) from Sept 1-Oct 10 and Razak Cup in Kuantan from Oct 14-23 to select the players. But he will, most likely, have to wait for another ceremony before he can announce his squad.
We can only guess that he will start training the national team at the end of October.
Revington’s main task, it is believed, will be to steer Malaysia to the 2014 World Cup in The Hague, Holland.
Malaysia last featured in the World Cup in 2002 when it was held in Kuala Lumpur.
