Where the Money Is

The Malaysian Hockey Federation, at its Council meeting after the AGM on October 31, decided to retain Nur Azmi Ahmad, the victorious Deputy President who retained his post at the elections, at the Chairman of the National Team Management Committee.

And true to form, as the Deputy President who is well known for ability to twist the facts and business acumen, has since created one mess after another in MHF.

It is learned that the National Assistant Coach, Nor Saiful Zaini has returned the cash incentive that was given by the MHF to the players/officials of the team that won silver at the recent Asian Games. Saiful, it is believed received a token sum, no where near the sum the other two coaches in the team received. And we salute Saiful for his stand in not accepting the money.

To determine the amount, it was the Deputy President who was responsible, and given the fact that he is the Chairman, it is only fair that he clarifies as to why Saiful has returned the cheque to MHF on December 16, the day of the Press Conference of the Charity Shield.

Fair enough Saiful was not with the team in China, but it was Saiful who trained and toiled with the rest of the coaches in Malaysia. Was the amount given reflective of Saiful's contributions to the team?

And that is not the only time that the Deputy President attempted to play god, for the national players were also short changed upon their return from the tournament in France that they won in August.

For every win, the President of MHF had set an incentive bonus of RM1,000 per player, but the Deputy President and another key administrative official reduced it to RM500, and told the President that the tournament was not sanctioned. The issue of sanction was then dispelled when a team official pointed out that the tournament was in the FIH calendar. But the players eventually received on RM500 per win, no thanks to the Deputy President.

Next we have the issue of Tai Beng Hai, the assistant coach who saw a reduction of his salary when Stephen van Huizen was roped in. Though NSC, the paymasters could only afford a certain budhet, they told MHF that the national body could assist by topping up the salary.

An appeal was made by Beng Hai, but even after the Asian Games, he received no reply on the matter, despite the National Team Management Committee having supposedly met in September.

So is there such a committee to deliberate on the matters or is it left to the whim and fancy of the Deputy President? Perhaps its time for the MHF President to take stock of the situation.

Next: Who represented MHC at the FIH meetings and do they have locus standi?

CONTRACT TERMINATED?

Word has it that the contractors initially awarded the turf job at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil have had their contract terminated and the job has now been awarded to the German turf, whose sales person is a former international that hails from Negeri Sembilan.

There was much hue and cry when the job was awarded earlier this year despite other companies providing better quality turfs and the work on the stadiums was stopped due to various reasons. And after a eight month delay, finally the contract has been terminated it seems.

Now it will be left to be seen if the Stadium Board will come clean on why the contract was terminated, what were the reasons for awarding it in the first place and what are the payments already made to the company and are there any penalties due.

CARE TO ANSWER, DEPUTY PRESIDENT?

After the Sukom 98 fiasco, we thought that it was the end of companies being formed to organize sports events in the country, as the accounts have yet to be closed.

But we were wrong, and although there is no conclusive evidence of any foul play of yet, another such an incident has resurfaced, where no accounts have been presented.

Let’s trace this back to 2009, and it was the first trans-border Junior Hockey World Cup to be organized, by Malaysia and Singapore.

In order to facilitate the organization, the International Hockey Federation required a joint Organising Committee, hence a private limited company was set-up under the auspices of the Malaysian Hockey Confederation and Singapore Hockey Federation.

And no prizes for guessing just who was given the task of forming this company with SHF, yes the one and only – the Deputy President.

Now the Junior Word Cup has come and gone, almost 18 months have since passed yet no accounts for the JWC have been tabled at any of the meetings of MHF or MHC. An attempt was made though in July 2009, but the then Secretary of Johor HA had attempted to present the accounts to MHF without any approval from his state body.

Now it gets more interesting as checks and conversations with officials involved in the JWC, from both sides of the causeway revealed that the said company has been dissolved and accounts closed. That is the plus factor but why have the accounts not been tabled at the MHC meetings nor the MHF council been informed about the profit or loss. Mind you the main sponsors forked out Singapore Dollars 250,000 for the JWC.

So lets see some transparency here Deputy President. I am sure the accounts are “clean” and we made no profit whatsoever from the JWC. So why the delay or refusal to table the report ?

HOW LOW CAN ONE GO?

The question is how low can one go? 

And the answer is really low if one takes the look at the behaviour of the Malaysian Hockey Federation Deputy President.

After having wielded his power on TNB to renege on the offer made to run the MHL website, the Deputy President has now gone on a crusade to get hockey fans/players/officials to remove the www.tnbmhl.com.my car stickers.

The fact that the Deputy President acted beyond his powers is there for all to see, but this injustice was not even corrected by the powers that be within MHF. S

The car stickers were provided to the public to help promote the website, to create awareness and we took the liberty to include the UNOFFICIAL tag on the stickers to ensure we were not guilty of false advertising.

So why fear us Deputy President when you told some members of the media that your OFFICIAL website will be up and running by December 29, which is two days away!

I have no beef with you, but if its war you want, then its war you will get as a New Year present.

Hush, MHF is sleeping

Time is making fools of MHF again.

Time was when we were a great hockey playing nation. Time was when we had competent officials who knew the value of time. Time was when we had proper tournaments which thrilled the nation.

Time was when the men who ran MHF truly cared.  That time is long past. These days, MHF officials only care when it is time for their own  needs or time for a drink. The clock has ticked down on the Malaysian hockey and they don't even know or care about it.  How else can one explain the total indifference to the need to reschedule the MHL matches from their ridiculous 3pm-5pm times. Would these officials even allow their children to play outdoors in the broiling late afternoon heat or even venture out themselves at these hours?

The only man who seems concerned, and rightly so, is MHF president Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah. He had, during the press conference of the 1Mas launch, made it clear that he was not supportive of the decision to play the MHL matches between 3-5pm. But, typically, nothing has happened.

The MHF officials were likely nodding off as usual when he made his speech. Not surprising really as MHF has been trapped in a time warp of incompetence and indifference for a long while. It looks as though time stopped for them at that glorious World Cup moment in 1975.

They now go through the motions without much thought to the welfare of the players and the game, never mind the fans. Little wonder that there are hardly any crowds at their matches. Who in his right mind would want to go watch a match at 3pm? And you wonder why the Malaysian game is in sleep mode. Time has changed. The way the game is played and administered has changed.

The Europeans and Aussies have understood that and corrected their watches to the new demands of the game but not the MHF who are trapped in a time warp of their own making. Talk about Malaysian Standard Time - that's decades behind the rest.

So we have slipped and slid down to number 14 in the rankings and playing in the second tier of the world game, still harking back to the good old days when the times were good when the fact of the matter is MHF simply haven't kept time. How pathetic. How tragic. What a waste of time.

How difficult is time management anyway? Why is it that MHF officials are so lackadaisical when it comes to other people's time? Do these officials even stir from their siestas to go watch a match at 3pm, families and fat butts permitting? Their not acting on the president's request even begs the question if he has any say in how the domestic competitions are run.

And this is not the first time this is happening.At the Tun Razak Cup in Kuantan in March, teams had complained about playing matches at 3pm, but the Tournament Director could not do anything as the fixtures were prepared by those from the hill (Bukit Jalil). It took a royal command (from the president) to fix the irrational fixtures.

But the indifferent response to his request this time is perplexing to say the least. It is not as though it will be difficult to reschedule the matches. The hockey venues are hardly fully utilised given the moribund state of the game. It does not need a genius to make the necessary changes, only sincere, concerned officials.

All it would take is to make a call to the Kuala Lumpur Hockey Association and move the 3pm and 7pm matches to 6pm and 8pm respectively, at the Tun Razak and KLHA Stadiums. Convenient for the players and the fans and good for the game.

If one were to study the fixtures, the Pantai pitch will only see action for four matches. Thus it is pertinent to note that the scheduling is drawn to suit for certain parties, like  TNB so that they do not have to spend extra on the A&P. No  thought was given to the fans, most of whom would be working at 3-5pm on Fridays.

Apart from the timing of matches there are several other niggling issues which should be addressed to reflect a more competently run competition.We have the issue of the name of teams, for example. KLHC is known as KL Hockey Club, and a check with the Sports Commissioners office confirms just that. Why then has the MHF listed them down as Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club when obviously they are not just that.

Add to that things like the banners/boards which are of poor value to the sponsors as the they are hardly visible on TV. Given that there are hardly any people at the stadium this means the sponsors are hardly getting anything for their investment. It all points to a poorly conceived and executed competition which reflects poorly on the MHF, as if they care.

Time is the fire in which Malaysian hockey burns, literally. And the officials, they  slumber in the shade and comfort of their indifference.

Tick tock, tick tock...

LEARN FROM INDIA, MHF

We have organised the MHL since 1987, and this is the 21st edition. But as usual it is littered with poor planning and inconsistent decisions, with the sponsors team getting the extra benefits it seems. Look at what happened to Japan. They came and learnt from us in football and the J-League is thriving, cos they never make mistakes like we do.

So MHF, please read the rival league that will one day make yours seem like a Sunday picnic.

The Indian hockey team may be going through a low following their heart-breaking loss to Malaysia in the Asian Games in Guangzhou recently, but the sport itself is set for a huge boost at home. Indian hockey is set to get a lavish dose of glamour, much like the Indian Premier League did to cricket.

Hockey, in fact, was the first to woo fans through an interesting city-based league format, through the Premier Hockey League (PHL), which thrilled fans across various cities in India from 2005 to 2008. However, it could not sustain itself and soon lost steam. It's time for a comeback now and TOI has reliably learnt of a much bigger and more expensive annual league that could be launched in the second half of 2011.

A leading television network, which also holds the rights to broadcast Indian cricket, has joined hands with the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) to help organize and promote the league, which will have as many as ten teams. The budget for each year is said to be running in several crores. Hockey won't be cricket's poor cousin, after all and could warm the fans' hearts during the chilly winters.

"It's a mega project and they have already signed a host of players. It's a great boost for not just us Indian players, but foreigners as well," informed a player, who recently signed a contract for the same.

Sources informed that as many as 50 Indian players have been roped in and those in the top bracket could well be receiving Rs 10 lakhs per year. "Some of these players have already been paid a signing amount of Rs 1 lakh each," he revealed.

The league will be played on a home and away basis under lights across several cities in India and televised live. Almost everything is on lines of PHL except there are more teams in fray this time.

Foreign players have shown their willingness to be a part of the league and the likes of Australian Jamie Dwyer and Argentinian Jorge Lombi are expected to join in. There is no word though on the inclusion of players from Pakistan.

The organizers, however, seem to be finding it difficult to get former Indian captain Viren Rasquinha on board as he is now a part of the Olympic Gold Quest and as such cannot take part.

"You can be sure of a cracking show and almost all players from each hockey playing nation have shown a willingness to be a part of this league," one in the know of things added. Time then for Indian hockey to enter a league of its own.

YEAR IN REVIEW

Eventful as always and exhilarating throughout, competitive hockey coursed through an incandescent phase and into history, engulfing the enthusiasts in an emotional melange.

Two World Championships and an equal number of Champion Trophy tournaments, the Commonwealth Games, the Asian Games, the Youth Olympics and a plethora of internationals across the globe give the 2010 season a euphoric aura.

Sifting through this panorama to identify the high points of the year is not easy. Suffice to say the material available is stupendous by any yardstick. On reflection, it can be said without any fear of contradiction that 2010 was a year to remember for the Australian men and Argentine women.

Quite understandably, the man of the year award, if there is one, should indisputably go to the Aussie stalwart, Ric Charlesworth. The Australian Institute of Sports in Perth only honoured itself by conferring that title on the Champion coach, who guided the Aussies to a glorious treble — the World Cup (Delhi), Champions Trophy (Monchengladbach) and Commonwealth Games (Delhi). Incidentally, Australia's victory in the Commonwealth Games was its third gold in succession.

Blessed as Charlesworth was with the depth and diversity of talent — the players were spotted, nurtured and groomed for the big occasions — the achievements of the Australian men in 2010 stand apart. They showed the intensity of professionalism, the importance of dedication and the determination to succeed at all costs. In this, the Aussies were chiefly guided by the craft, class and consistency of the incomparable all-rounder, Jamie Dwyer, who deservedly claimed the FIH's Best Player of the Year Award for 2010.

It must also be acknowledged that Dwyer in his endeavour was supported well by Luke Doerner, Desmond Abbott, Glenn Turner, Christopher Ciriello and, of course, goalkeeper, Nathan Burges.

There was no team either in Europe or Asia that could match Australia. The team's dominance is better illustrated by six victories in a row in the Champions Trophy in Monchengladbach.

On the distaff side, Argentina held the centre stage. Brushing aside the challenge of the traditional powerhouse, the Netherlands, Argentina claimed the Champions Trophy in Nottingham. It then proved its calibre by beating the same Dutch side in the final of the World Cup in Rosario. The star of Argentina was the glamorous Luciana Aiymar, who was declared the Player of the Year again by the FIH.

Hockey in Asia had a mixture of good, bad and ugly — ugly especially involving the administrations in India and Pakistan.

Despite its four successive defeats against India during the year, Pakistan salvaged a lot of its pride by regaining the Asian Games gold medal in Guangzhou. The return of Sohail Abbas proved a blessing for Pakistan as much as the gains it had from the coaching of the Dutchman, Michel van Heuven.

Murky scenes and court hearings notwithstanding, India had a reasonably good year, winning the silver medal in the Commonwealth Games, the bronze in the Asian Games and sharing the trophy with South Korea in the Azlan Shah tournament.

True, these achievements did nothing to enhance the profile of the national team but they definitely indicated the improvement made under the Spanish coach, Jose Brasa.

Constantly hunted and humiliated, Brasa bore everything that the officialdom hurled at him with equanimity. He was bent on showing some results. The fact that he never had anything his way was more than clear to everybody. Yet, he worked sincerely. It is a pity that the Spaniard went back without fulfilling his goal.

Sandeep Singh, who slammed 11 goals in the Asian Games, and Rani Ramphal, whose tally of eight goals in the World Cup earned her a nomination for the Young Player of the Year Award, dominated the scoring.

Bedevilled by one controversy or the other, the Indian hockey administration suffered a serious confidence crisis. It got caught in the crossfire between the Sports Ministry and the Indian Olympic Association on too many issues. That the FIH added to the confusion cannot go unsaid.

As if these weren't enough, there was the abominable charge against the seasoned coach, M. L. Kasushik, who was accused of misbehaving with some of the players in the women's team. The episode needs no detailed introspection and should be dismissed as unholy and unwarranted.

Following this incident, Sandeep Somesh was put in charge of the women's team. With little time to comprehend what he had inherited, Sandeep had to wade through many uncertainties.

If India failed to retain the bronze medal in Guangzhou after claiming one in the first ever Asian Champions Trophy in Seoul, Sandeep should be the last man to be blamed.

As another season is set to dawn, it goes without saying that a lot of thinking needs be done while reorganising the men's and women's teams. The coaching staff too needs to be restructured.

 

Whoever eventually comes to clean the stables has a stupendous task on his hands