While MAS has introduced a special menu to honour our former Prime Minister Tun Razak, the Malaysian Hockey Federation is paying scant respect to a tournament held in his honour. The 2009 edition of the Tun Razak Cup, once the prestigous event in the MHF calender has surely been sidelined by MHF, in the very year that the son of Tun Razak became the Prime Minister of the country.
This is because teams hoping to field national players in the Razak Cup next month can forget about the idea. For the national players, currently on a playing tour of Australia and New Zealand are only expected back on August 20. The Razak Cup is scheduled for August 14-21 in Kuala Lumpur.
Defending champions Kuala Lumpur have gone Dutch, roping in experienced coach Jaap Suyk as their coach. Jaap has been coaching various teams in Holland since 1975 and will be assisted by Lailin Abu Hassan. KLHA have their backs against the wall after winning only one trophy this year, the National Under 16. Though they were Sukma champions last year, they failed to even make the final of the Under 23 recently.
I.Vikneswaran who coached the KL Under 23 side will take on the challenge to whip former champions Selangor into shape for the Razak Cup. The Selangor team will be managed by state assemblyman Dato Subahan Kamal who is the Deputy President of Selangor HA and Vice President of the Selangor FA.
Former national juniors coach K.Rajan is expected to take charge of Armed Forces who under the leadership of Lt. Col B. Muthukumar have started to rope in promising youngsters into the Armed Forces.
Former international, S. Vellapan who coaches Maybank in the MHL is expected to be appointed as the Johor Razak Cup coach.
But while teams are doing their bit, the very fact that national players will not play has taken the shine of the tournament. Imagine the EPL without the national players. Even in Malaysian football, the states will kick up a storm if they are not allowed to utilise their players for domestic competitions. So why is MHF pushing their luck, or was it incompetence in drawing up the calender that led to this situation.
Talking about the calender, one would expect MHF to draw up a calender for 2010, or rather two, one with Malaysia making the World Cup, the other without Malaysia in New Delhi so that states will have ample time. But who cares, no one does these days, Ampun Tuanku....
This is because teams hoping to field national players in the Razak Cup next month can forget about the idea. For the national players, currently on a playing tour of Australia and New Zealand are only expected back on August 20. The Razak Cup is scheduled for August 14-21 in Kuala Lumpur.
Defending champions Kuala Lumpur have gone Dutch, roping in experienced coach Jaap Suyk as their coach. Jaap has been coaching various teams in Holland since 1975 and will be assisted by Lailin Abu Hassan. KLHA have their backs against the wall after winning only one trophy this year, the National Under 16. Though they were Sukma champions last year, they failed to even make the final of the Under 23 recently.
I.Vikneswaran who coached the KL Under 23 side will take on the challenge to whip former champions Selangor into shape for the Razak Cup. The Selangor team will be managed by state assemblyman Dato Subahan Kamal who is the Deputy President of Selangor HA and Vice President of the Selangor FA.
Former national juniors coach K.Rajan is expected to take charge of Armed Forces who under the leadership of Lt. Col B. Muthukumar have started to rope in promising youngsters into the Armed Forces.
Former international, S. Vellapan who coaches Maybank in the MHL is expected to be appointed as the Johor Razak Cup coach.
But while teams are doing their bit, the very fact that national players will not play has taken the shine of the tournament. Imagine the EPL without the national players. Even in Malaysian football, the states will kick up a storm if they are not allowed to utilise their players for domestic competitions. So why is MHF pushing their luck, or was it incompetence in drawing up the calender that led to this situation.
Talking about the calender, one would expect MHF to draw up a calender for 2010, or rather two, one with Malaysia making the World Cup, the other without Malaysia in New Delhi so that states will have ample time. But who cares, no one does these days, Ampun Tuanku....
