30th Sultan Azlan Shah Cup 2024 - Men's Hockey International - Views & Facts...

Good Day to all my passionate readers, 

As previously mentioned that I will write some facts and views for the upcoming 30th edition of Sultan Azlan Shah Cup 2024.

The Sultan Azlan Shah Cup is an annual invitational international men's field hockey tournament held in Malaysia. It began in 1983 as a biennial contest. The tournament became an annual event after 1998, following its growth and popularity.

The 2024 Sultan Azlan Shah Cup will be the 30th edition of the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, the annual men's invitational international field hockey tournament hosted by Malaysia. The tournament will return after a one-year hiatus after it was postponed in 2023 due to the packed hockey calendar and couldn’t get sufficient good teams to participate and opted out to host Indoor International event last year. It will be held at the Azlan Shah Stadium in Ipoh, Malaysia from 4 to 11 May 2024. The tournament will consist of six teams. 

The competitive edge of SASC event has dropped over the years compared to those days due to unavailability of the best and renowned teams to be part of this event. Many commented that SASC was close or better in standard than level of annual FIH Champions Trophy but due to clashing in dates with FIH Pro League and late in calling for entry could be the key reasons for the best teams not to be part of this annual SASC events.

The hosts Malaysia are the defending champions after winning their first title at the 2022 edition:

The following six teams will participate in the years tournament and some facts:

Team           Appearance     Last Appearance          Previous best performance

 Canada             10th                       2019                       4th (1995, 1999, 2019)

 Japan                6th                         2022                       4th (2022)

 Malaysia           30th                       2022                       1st (2022)

 New Zealand     18th                       2017                       1st (2012, 2015)

 Pakistan           22nd                      2022                       1st (1999, 2000, 2003)

 South Korea     22nd                      2022                       1st (1996, 2010, 2019)

 

Based on current world rankings – it is in this sequence as stated below:

New Zealand No 10

S Korea No 11

Malaysia No 13

Pakistan No 15

Japan No 16

Canada No 19

-   4 Asian Teams with NZ from Oceania & Canada from Pan AM. This quality of teams based on my view is not the best in the world hockey as the best teams (Aus, Belgium, Ned, India, Eng, Spain, Germany, Argentina, France, Ireland, are busy with their FIH Pro League and preparation towards European Championship and Paris Olympic Games.

Out of six teams, only New Zealand qualified to play in Paris Olympics Games and the rest 5 teams didn’t qualify in January FIH qualifications.

Overall, the failed teams to Olympics such as Korea, Canada, Malaysia undergoing massive changes in Coaching structure and style of play with looking beyond this tournament. But as for Pakistan & Japan, they started rebuilding since Tokyo Olympics and their work started showing some promising, as Japan is heading for podium in 2026 Nagoya Asian Games. Currently, Pakistan is undergoing some hiccups due to 2 federations infighting who is the sole governing body that manages hockey affairs in Pakistan but believe their current team average age below 25 under Roelant did show some positive impact at 2023 SOJC, 2023 Junior World Cup, 2023 Asian Games and 2024 FIH Olympic qualifications. In years to come and this Pakistan team will be ready for 2025 & 2026 hockey calendar especially the 2028 LA Olympics cycle.

Back to us as the host, I believe the previous Coaching structure has done some great progress and pushed some changes but the results wasn’t on their side especially for not winning the promised gold in 2023 Asian Games and qualifying to Paris Olympics.

This Malaysian Team in SASC2024, should at least finish as medalist even though we are the defending Champions. The team has a massive experience player and most players has many International Caps who has played at high level of big events and also bringing the silver medalist H5s players to the team indirectly brings more quality.

For sure the previous regime has uplifted the conditioning and strength of team as so much work has been put till January 2024 this year before the TNBMHL2024 and believe fitness would never be an issue and for sure the new regime has imposed high quality training schedules and the players are working very hard on & off the field to bring success in the coming SASC24.

In terms of experience and fitness no excuses for this team to perform in front of the Ipoh ardent hockey fans and always without fail all Malaysian match it is fully packed and stand's behind the Malaysian team. 

Anything finishing 4^th and below will not indicate a good start for this Malaysian team because the next important assignment after SASC24 will be FIH Nation Cup where South Africa, Ireland and France will be providing greater competitive and challenge.

Both these events will allow Malaysia to improve our sliding world ranking and the Importance level for SASC24 is at 2 & FIH Nation Cup importance will be 3.

Malaysian Schedule:

4^th May vs Pakistan; 5^th May vs Canada; 7^th May vs NZ; 8^th May vs Japan & 10^th May vs Korea as all matches at 8.30pm – 11^th May is the classification day.

The first 2 games against Pak & Canada will determine where we finish and we cannot afford to lose both this matches as the next 3 – NZ, Jpn, Korea will be tougher.

Wishing the Malaysian Men’s Hockey Team, the very best in the SASC24 and go for the podium finish.

Godspeed.

Maninderjit Singh (Mike)

P/S – There were rumors' that I was offered to be the next CEO or General Manager and the word was circulating around that I didn’t accept that post, by the way, this rumor's are not true because in the first place there wasn’t any such offer for me to decide or decline. But was offered to be a member of MHC Coaching Committee but declined due to some reasons. Just to clear the air and doubts surrounding the hockey fraternity.

MALAYSIAN HOCKEY - WHAT IS THE FUTURE LOOKS LIKE?

MALAYSIAN HOCKEY - WHAT IS THE FUTURE LOOKS LIKE?

Happy New Year everyone, and apology as been busy with matters and today decided to write a piece.

Its another cycle now after failing to Paris Olympics and again there will be no Jalur Gemilang and we all the hockey fraternity will be just a mere spectator on the tv screen and supporting other nations in the coming Paris Olympic Games.

After placing 6^th in Asian Games & 12^th in Junior World Cup with Men sliding to 13 & Women at 23, there were hue & cry with loud hooo-haaa and massive turnaround and post mortem will be conducted and find out why we failed but finally the following was the reasons:

1.   The Olympic Qualification must be change and more slots for Asia & increase the number of teams was the root of the problem on why we didn’t qualify to Paris Olympics.

2.    Change the Coaching Setup – means the Coaches failed and new batch of Coaches are appointed. So the whole Nation accepted the reason why we failed but not the current ecosystem.  

3   The caretaker said that they never failed based on the interviews and statements over the years.

My view – so far what is done is only a cosmetic-changes without any bold decision or solutions are implemented for the coming new cycle towards 2026 World Cup in Bel/Ned & 2028 LA Olympics with the ultimate 2026 Nagoya Asian Games with 2025 & 2027 JWC cycle for men & women hockey. The indoor games in Asia Cup in May will be ultimate where we stand as my Iran will be Champions and another slot fight will be between Kazak, Thailand & Malaysia with Indonesian being the spoilers. On the H5s – after Oman WC, this event is only a complementary or supplementary to indoor & outdoor and my view it will be a natural death in years to come.

Now back to our main topic. The Senior Team will be having 3 key events this year – SASC2024, FIH Nation Cup in which both is in next month and another one the Asian Champions Trophy will be held later part of the year.

As for Sultan Azlan Shah Cup – my view we should at least finish as a medalist or podium finish as we are defending Champions & weak teams are invited except for New Zealand who will be using this event as part of Paris Olympics selection. Will write soon before the SASC event - a target must be set to create motivation and some pressure to achieved results - no target setting indicates low esteem and sitting at crossroads without knowing the depth of the strength of the team. We must set targets for every event that we are participating even though is low but it must be realistic and measurable. 

As for the FIH Nation Cup we are placed in pool B which is easier to make it to SF and in SF will determine whether we will play in Finals or 3/4 placing. Previously we were runners up in the last edition and the Champions gets a promotion to play in the FIH Pro League next edition. I am a great believer that Malaysia must play in Pro League to advance in World Hockey map again and to be one of the contenders as a powerhouse in world hockey. We should at least finish top 3 here and anything 4^th onwards will consider as we failed the mission.

The Asian Champions Trophy we should be making the finals as only India will be our key competitor.

Many hockey lovers and former internationals called and chat about our future and as I said the success of the senior team is always dependent on the cycle of junior teams. If we see the last 3 JWC cycles – 2016, 2021 & 2023 – the overall performances were mediocre even we finished 8^th in 2021 edition due to withdrawal from top nations due to Covid19.

But yet, till today – the JWC 2025 (Malaysian U20) & 2027 (Malaysian U18), no any periodization plan & coaching structure is in-placed as the similar mistakes will be repeated again. Been following with other top Nations where most of them has established teams for next JWC cycles and participating big tournaments especially India/Japan/Pakistan and other European teams playing in Europe U18 & Europe U21.

On the women aspect – my view we are still at participating level and adding the numbers level not medalist as at Asia Level we will never break the top 4 regime based on our current ecosystem and periodization plan which is very ineffective. The best is finishing top 5 in 2026 Asian Games as Thailand is narrowing the gap with us and qualify to JWC as merit and not as replacement due to last minute withdrawals.

Another interesting aspect is the Road to 2026 World Cup, where the slots are not divided to Continental previously and the breakdown is as the followings – Bel/Ned as Host, 5 Continental Champions - so 7 taken left with 9 – 2 venue of Qualifiers (8+8) and if we not careful or having a strong periodization plan for our team we may missed this world cup. Just highlighting before its happen because till now I do not see a proper short & long-term plan for our journey towards being in top 10 and better prospects to qualify for LA28 with winning 2026 Nagoya Asian Games.  

My view LA28 we will be a very tough journey to qualify and I have my own reasons and will write about it when time permits.

Thank you, all the readers, for visiting my blog as often as possible and it already hit above 150,000 times even not writing often but will try my level best to do so.

Just a small advice before I pen down…

It is an acknowledgement of failure. The first step towards correcting your wrongs is to admit that you have failed. Once you can admit that you have failed that will (or should) lead to more honesty. It should lead to more self-criticism and self-awareness…

Best Regards everyone…

Maninderjit Singh (Mike)

Former Malaysian Hockey International