SoJC test for raw but talented junior hockey team

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) gave a frank assessment of their 18 junior players, who will don national colours in the Sultan of Johor Cup (SoJC) at the Taman Daya Stadium in Johor Baru on Oct 22-29.

While MHC expect the team to give their best in the Under-21 international invitational, they are not expecting much from this “raw squad”.

“Let’s be frank. MHC have selected the best players in the country for the SoJC in preparation for next year’s Junior World Cup (JWC) here.

“We picked Under-20 players for the SoJC so that they will also be eligible for the JWC.

“We could have selected an Under-21 side and aim for a podium finish, but that would defeat the end purpose of our target in the JWC, which is to play in the semi-finals,” said MHC president Datuk Seri Subahan Kamal.

Defending champions Britain, India, Australia, Japan and South Africa make up the teams in the SoJC.

The youngest player in the Malaysian team is 16-year-old Andy Walfian Jeffrynus, who will make his international debut in a friendly against Australia at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil on Tuesday.

The team will face Britain in their final friendly on Wednesday in Taman Daya before starting their SoJC campaign.

Only four players have played with the national seniors, and they are Amirul Haniff Mamat (12 caps), Alfarico Lance Liau (six) and Syawal Razak (six).

“After the SoJC, MHC will arrange for this set of players to go on foreign tours and play matches in Australia and Europe. However, the 18 selected for SoJC will still have to fight for their spots when we select our JWC team.

“We have a big pool of Under-20 trainees under coach Amin Rahim and in the end, only those who perform in the next 12 months will see top action at home to carry our semi-final target,” said Subahan.

Malaysia finished eighth in the 2018 JWC in Bhubaneswar.

The squad

Goalkeepers: Amir Muhaimin Ahmad, Rafaizul Saini;

Defenders: Faris Harizan, Azmil Muizzuddin Misron, Najmie Ahmad Dzaib, Andy Walfian Jeffrynus, T. Perabu, Zulhanif Sahran.

Midfielders: Alfarico Lance Liau, Danish Danial Wahab, Addy Jazmi Jamlus, Syawal Razak, Irfan Raziq Syakir.

Forwards: Shahmie Irfan Suhaimi, Hazreeq Alief, Danish Aiman, Shafiq Ikhmal and Amirul Haniff Mamat.

Head coach: Amin Rahim;

Assistant HC: Megat Azrafiq.

NST