Tuesday, 3 November 2020

FITRI SAARI DROPPED - INSANE DECISION WITHOUT VALID REASON

Abstract from The Star - https://www.thestar.com.my/sport/hockey/2020/11/01/fitri-shocked-but-not-broken

“For me, I’m a little shocked. The coach said he doesn’t see much of my hard work and feels that my attitude is not a good example for the younger players, ” said Fitri.

When pressed on what he meant by his attitude, he said: “I guess it is my body language. I’m a quiet person and not imposing. So I guess I have to change my demeanour.

“I guess, I have to be more imposing and allow my hockey to do the talking. I will learn to communicate more with the players.

“I’ll be back. I will give my all in next year’s Malaysia Hockey League (MHL) and prove that I still deserve a spot.

“It’s not that I am not hardworking, but it is my appearance that gives that outlook. I will change that for sure because I want to play for the nation again.”

Meanwhile, Arul said at the moment, Fitri has failed to convince him.

“For now, he is not in my plan. If he shows his capability in the MHL, for sure I will consider him, ” he said.


My Comments:

Answer – I disagree to drop Fitri Saari just like that…

It doesn’t make sense as you retain 4 injured players among them are Tengku Ahmad Tajuddin Tengku Ahmad Jalil, Shahril Saabah, Mohd Haziq Samsul, Mohd Amirol Aideed Mohd Arshad and Mohd Hafiz Zainol.

Fisrtly, no Coaches has selected a big group of players of 36 for national team. This is a High Performance Team and not a Kem Bakat or Development Team.

Then you reduced to 30 without Fitri Saari and favouring 4 injured players and 4 uncapped players.

Hello – the 4 injured players shouldn’t be considered in camp and put them into rehabilitation phase and join in upon recovery and with that you could still include Fitri Saari into camp.

I didn’t know that nowadays that “a player is dropped due to his quietness”. Unbelievable reasoning.

When you dropped a seasoned senior player like Fitri Saari, the reason must be a valid one. You telling me that the 4 injured players & 4 uncapped players are better than Fitri.

If Fitri has a fitness or morale problem, any Coach will manage him well by giving him till January with special program and attention to uplift him to his usual best performance. Dropping him and telling him door is still open after MHL, is a total bullshit as you kill his morale and motivation of a calibre player like Fitri and many others. Even you are not sure when MHL will be held.

Fitri Saari is a complete international player that possess high technical skills and contribute well to any team. And Faizal Saari, the forward plays well and get key passes from his brother Fitri. And with removing Fitri, indirectly you kill Faizal Saari performance too as Fitri is the main feeder to Faizal.

You have been a player before but looks like your approach is wrong or there may be a third hand instruction as Fitri was very vocal in post mortem and blamed him for missing PS.

And there is a strong rumour going around that you’re playing a favoritism and parent involvement in selection of players. Hope it is not true and knowing you before, you may have changed in your principle and integrity in life due to survival. Hope not?

More so, your main challenge is 2021 Asia Cup & 2022 Asian Games, you have time to keep Fitri Saari in team till at least till end of January and not just dropping him like this without any valid reason and your reason is a very subjective one which raised many questions within the hockey fraternity.

This kind of decision shows & reflects the quality in you. Honestly, you need to buck up...

You next challenge would be reducing to the team to 22 or 24. We all will be watching it closely.

Anyway, you all are called the “Trio of 2016” that would save Malaysian Hockey!

P/S- Firduas Omar of Melaka is not selected in National Camp? Why?

1 comment:

  1. What nonsense is this Arul?

    If Fitri, who regularly features for the nation has an attitude problem then why did you include him in the training squad.

    For your info, my friend Arul, none of the players in the current squad as the vision on and off the ball like Fitri and he shows the true character of an elite athlete on the field i.e discipline, determination, and dedication. These are the characteristics a great coach will look for in a player in his team.

    I have coached Fitri, and it's always in my heart a hope that the Malaysian hockey team would have 16 players like him.

    Anyway, my hope in Malaysian hockey had evaporated a long time ago, and my advice to Fitri is not to waste his time fighting for a place in a team that can't recognize his ability.

    My advice to Arul is to get a book written by the eminent psychologist Carol Dweck-"Mindset" and please read to be a good coach.

    Thank You

    ReplyDelete