Some of the main stream media will most likely carry a denial from Malaysian Hockey Federation that they were dealing with a foreign coach from Down Under, someone by the name of Neil Hawgood. Well read on if you are interested in the truth.
They cannot deny the fact that MHF had announced that they were after a foreign coach and names were thrown into the hat, with the likes of Terry Walsh, Barry Dancer, Kim Sang Ryul and even Maurits Hendriks.
Yes, MHF did not deal with Hawgood directly, rather it was the National Sports Council, or to be more precise it was the Director General who was leading the negotiations. A MHF Vice President was also in the picture.
How I am certain about it, well both Hawgood and me have a mutual friend and two days ago we started communicating. He was certain that terms had been agreed upon between NSC and Hawgood and told me that the coach was to fly down to put pen to paper and ink his contract, with a visit of the sports science facilities a priority.
And 48 hours later the coach reveived a SMS, reading something like this " we will no longer be employing a foreign coach". Who that SMS came from beats me, its either NSC or MHF. But the bottom line is there was a deal and we backed out.
How will we rate in world hockey now? After Charlersworth exited India, talk was rife that they will never get a foreign coach, but a Spaniard is on his way over. And as for us, the fact that MHF sold their soul to NSC is something those who clamoured for change should be concerned about, if hockey is their agenda.
Seriously things are getting from bad to worse and denying thinngs that eventually will see the light of day is something those in MHF should avoid. Speak the truth and live with it. Let those who know the sport run it, and not allow lobbyists and friendship dictate terms.
And to the coaches of the world, welcome to Malaysia, the land of the impossible...
