KUALA LUMPUR: National men’s hockey team head coach A. Arul Selvaraj (pix) has prioritised versatility in naming his 18-man squad for the Olympic Qualifiers in Muscat, Oman from Jan 13 to Jan 21.
Arul Selvaraj described the players picked as among the best in their ability to play in more than one position as the Speedy Tigers get ready for the quest to seek a spot in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
“Since I started (to take charge) in 2020, I have changed the players’ positions a lot. This is aimed at producing a team of players capable of playing in various positions as injuries are sure to happen.
“This is the best team that we have at the moment,” he told a media conference to announce the player lineup at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil here today.
Arul Selvaraj said he also chose players with a burning desire to win and able to perform at the highest level both mentally and physically on and off the pitch.
He also stressed the need for the players to be on the same wavelength to achieve their aim of qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympics, in addition to being disciplined in terms of their nutrition and lifestyle.
“Eventually, it is the players who will do all the hard work to ensure victory. Their desire and attitude must be in sync. Everything has been taken care of for them, so the responsibility is on them,” he said.
The Speedy Tigers have been placed in Group A with Great Britain, Pakistan and China in Group A of the Olympic Qualifiers, while Group B consists of Germany, New Zealand, Canada and Chile.
Six tickets will be up for grabs for the 2024 Paris Olympics at the Olympic Qualifiers, with three in Oman (for men) and three in Valencia, Spain (for women).
Commenting on their target, Arul Selvaraj said he is confident the Speedy Tigers can tame Pakistan and China to, at least, occupy second spot in the group and ensure a place in the semi-finals.
He said the Speedy Tigers will have two friendlies against Canada and Chile before starting their campaign in the Qualifiers.
Meanwhile, national women’s hockey team head coach Mohd Nasihin Nubli Ibrahim said he has not set any targets for the team in the Qualifiers in Valencia as he wants his players to use the tournament to gain experience ahead of the 2026 Asian Games.
“To be realistic, we are facing higher-ranked teams like Great Britain, Spain and Canada (in Group B). These are high-pressure matches and the players will need to adapt quickly to see where we stand against them
“But I believe we can put up a good performance and play the role of spoilers… let’s see where that takes us,” he said.
The national women’s hockey team, nicknamed Malaysian Tigress, are in Group B of the Olympic Qualifiers and will face Spain on Jan 13, Canada on Jan 14 and Great Britain on Jan 16. –Bernama