Arul Selavaraj seems to be the forgotten man of Malaysian Hockey.
Despite there being “widespread”’ changes in the Malaysian Hockey Federation, Arul has been left in the cold, to fend for himself.
Over the years this ex-international has ventured out on his own, paying scant respect to the notion that a Malaysian hockey coach cannot survive beyond the nations boundaries.
But he has proven his critics wrong and today he is the Assistant Coach of the Ireland hockey team that will lock horns with Malaysia at the Champions Challenge II in Dublin next month.
Below is an account by Arul on hockey in Ireland and how the team is preparing for the Champions Challenge.
We train twice as Regional sessions in three different centers.(Belfast, Dublin, Cork), The domestic league season stretches from October to May hence we have very few sessions during these period. 60 % of the team comes from Dublin and the average age of 24 and 56 caps
They do the gym session on their own and we get together maybe once a month for 1 ½ days. Of the squad six players are students n the rest are working, occupations range from a teacher, fireman, accountant etc.
Only the head coach is fulltime as Irish hockey runs as a business. They have to find their own sponsors. They have CEO, Marketing Manager to run the association.
My role is as Asst coach of the Irish team and I run most of the Dublin session with another coach
On a personal front, I manage a club called Glenanne and we have qualified for the EHL 09-10 season, which is the biggest hockey event in Europe)
I guess I’m the only Malaysian who has been involved in two different national teams , South Africa and Ireland
I am keen to comeback only if the offer is right and to manage a long term plan, be it Junior or Senior. I see our Malaysian hockey as similar to Indian and Pakistan hockey and cricket, there is so much of talent but no achievement due to lack of management skills.
My experience and exposure overseas has provided me with an insight on certain aspects where the Malaysian team is lacking.
Besides Malaysia, India and Pakistan are the only hockey teams in the world trains fulltime nd players are paid, but have no worthy achievements to show of late.
IRELAND MEN
Champions Challenge II Squad.
Player Club Caps
David Harte (GK) Pembroke W 32
Iain Walker (GK) YMCA 15
Ronan Gormley (C) Pembroke W 75
Tim Lewis Pembroke W 41
Joe Brennan Glenanne 17
Conor Harte Pembroke W 19
John Jackson Loughborough 17
Graham Shaw (V/C) Glenanne 129
Stephen Butler Glenanne 143
John Jermyn Cork C of I 92
David Hobbs (V/C) Cork C of I 128
Geoffrey McCabe Banbridge 40
Andy McConnell Three Rock Rovers 7
Eugene Magee Banbridge 81
Timmy Cockram Lisnagarvey 74
Mitch Darling Three Rock Rovers 20
Alan Sothern Pembroke W 16
Management
Paul Revington (Coach); Peter Jackson (Manager); Craig Fulton (Asst. Coach); Arul Anthoni (Asst. Coach); Nigel Henderson (GK Coach); Stephen Barry (S&C) Sinead Murphy (Physio); Tristan Seaton-Stednam (Video)
Despite there being “widespread”’ changes in the Malaysian Hockey Federation, Arul has been left in the cold, to fend for himself.
Over the years this ex-international has ventured out on his own, paying scant respect to the notion that a Malaysian hockey coach cannot survive beyond the nations boundaries.
But he has proven his critics wrong and today he is the Assistant Coach of the Ireland hockey team that will lock horns with Malaysia at the Champions Challenge II in Dublin next month.
Below is an account by Arul on hockey in Ireland and how the team is preparing for the Champions Challenge.
We train twice as Regional sessions in three different centers.(Belfast, Dublin, Cork), The domestic league season stretches from October to May hence we have very few sessions during these period. 60 % of the team comes from Dublin and the average age of 24 and 56 caps
They do the gym session on their own and we get together maybe once a month for 1 ½ days. Of the squad six players are students n the rest are working, occupations range from a teacher, fireman, accountant etc.
Only the head coach is fulltime as Irish hockey runs as a business. They have to find their own sponsors. They have CEO, Marketing Manager to run the association.
My role is as Asst coach of the Irish team and I run most of the Dublin session with another coach
On a personal front, I manage a club called Glenanne and we have qualified for the EHL 09-10 season, which is the biggest hockey event in Europe)
I guess I’m the only Malaysian who has been involved in two different national teams , South Africa and Ireland
I am keen to comeback only if the offer is right and to manage a long term plan, be it Junior or Senior. I see our Malaysian hockey as similar to Indian and Pakistan hockey and cricket, there is so much of talent but no achievement due to lack of management skills.
My experience and exposure overseas has provided me with an insight on certain aspects where the Malaysian team is lacking.
Besides Malaysia, India and Pakistan are the only hockey teams in the world trains fulltime nd players are paid, but have no worthy achievements to show of late.
IRELAND MEN
Champions Challenge II Squad.
Player Club Caps
David Harte (GK) Pembroke W 32
Iain Walker (GK) YMCA 15
Ronan Gormley (C) Pembroke W 75
Tim Lewis Pembroke W 41
Joe Brennan Glenanne 17
Conor Harte Pembroke W 19
John Jackson Loughborough 17
Graham Shaw (V/C) Glenanne 129
Stephen Butler Glenanne 143
John Jermyn Cork C of I 92
David Hobbs (V/C) Cork C of I 128
Geoffrey McCabe Banbridge 40
Andy McConnell Three Rock Rovers 7
Eugene Magee Banbridge 81
Timmy Cockram Lisnagarvey 74
Mitch Darling Three Rock Rovers 20
Alan Sothern Pembroke W 16
Management
Paul Revington (Coach); Peter Jackson (Manager); Craig Fulton (Asst. Coach); Arul Anthoni (Asst. Coach); Nigel Henderson (GK Coach); Stephen Barry (S&C) Sinead Murphy (Physio); Tristan Seaton-Stednam (Video)
