MALAYSIAN HOCKEY – DUE TO WEAK CALENDAR PLANNING CREATES CONFUSION & UNWANTED ISSUES

MALAYSIAN HOCKEY – DUE TO WEAK CALENDAR PLANNING CREATES CONFUSION & UNWANTED ISSUES

These few days or rather few years ago till today, the key issue about planning of proper one final calendar for hockey tournaments  which includes Affiliates, Domestic & International tournaments such as Field Hockey, Indoor Hockey & Hockey 5s for both genders Men & Women that is creating a confusion & arguments within the stakeholders.

This one final calendar is the duty of the Office to prepare at least an Olympic Cycle – means 2024 to 2028 and encompasses the Contingent Events – SEA, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games & Olympic with AHF – Continental events (Senior & Junior) and with FIH events such as World Cup, Qualifiers, Nation Cup, Sultan Azlan Shah Cup & Sultan of Johor Cup for both Senior & Junior activities and to top up any test matches, friendly or Invitational tournaments. To top it up – not including the periodization plan for national teams and the EB, EGM, AGM, Coaching Courses and TO, Umpires Courses and etc etec….Its requires a huge brainstorming activity.

When I was holding the Office, we had a clearly defined Calendar from 2009 till 2012 and it takes 3 months to come up with this “One Final Calendar – One Olympic Cycle” - from Affiliation/State, National & International with all courses & meeting dates - Council, Monthly EB, EGM/AGM with FIH/AHF Congress. This is a prerequisite for preparing the cost which is the Annual Budget and how to source the funds via grants and sponsorship.

Now is the crunch of the matters that I want to make the key points on the current problem in the press and community of hockey fans:

Looking at above details, how are they're going to fit in all the above arrangements, do the people in-charge aware of this consolidation of “one final calendar”. Currently, every Chairman of each SubCom decides when to organize domestic and which international event to play and for sure they will be no coordination as most players, Umpires, Technical resources will be overlapping between cross the board which will create the chaos. And all the good Umpires still serving their bans and most events using lower grade Umpiring which also created many wrong decision and Clubs or State were not satisfied with the quality of Umpiring. This is the Duty of Office & EB to endorse “One Final Calendar – One Olympic Cycle”.

Simple example – during last Razak Cup, Junior players & Indoor players couldn’t play because of SOJC24 & Indoor World Cup preparation. Why? No coordination between SubCom and ad-hoc calendar which created the unwanted issues. Many talks about the issue but due to poor planning created the chaos.

And now the debate of priority – Club for MHL or preparation with Indoor World Cup gets the players to play?

You knew that Indoor WC was in FEB 2025 after qualifying in May 2024 but yet nobody saw this because of working in silos. Working in silos means team members are isolated from the team itself. It could mean individuals or entire departments are isolated from the rest of the business. These individuals and groups don't collaborate with others, which can eventually lead to a lack of communication.

My view – it’s the CLUB/Employer that gets the first priority. This statement is always been used over the years even during our playing days. They are the actual paymaster and the future of national players depend on this Employment…

Even to make matter worst, currently, there not many Clubs/Organization providing jobs. On the above issues – 3 clubs are affected TNB, Maybank & UiTM.

Q-Are the players going lose their income by not playing in MHL? Will the Employer/Club decide not to release the players for national duties – one must understand that Employer decides on their leave to play for national team not the other way around….And do not use the word “Ban” as did to many top Umpires and also for this current dilemma – National team or Employer?

Just sharing in our playing days – we train Monday to Wednesday with national team and released to Club for MHL matches and even at some stage release to play KL League or any other state leagues that the player is involved. 

Bottom line – bread and butter are with the Club/Employer. National Team only provides basic allowances and priority is always the EMPLOYER!

You must understand that CLUBS & EMPLOYERS in hockey is not many in numbers anymore and hope this kind of issues will not hinder for the future employment for national players.

The actual fact is due to your poor planning and frequent ad-hoc decision that has brought this dilemma and please solve amicably so that these few Cubs don't stop supporting this sport which actual fact the cause of the problem is you and not the EMPLOYER… 

Please start planning for a detail “One Final Calendar – One Olympic Cycle 2024-2028” before it creates more future problems & the Employers may stop to support the game which not many left - even TNB & Maybank has gone to playing service contract compared to permanent job. Normally, during the MHL lah, for National or State players to do some cari makan on earnings to survive rather than working at Burger Shops, Family Mart, Petrol Kiosk or in Gig Economy as Riders. Lets have some little heart for these players to survive...

Actually, it’s a simple and doable Calendar…

If you need help, let me know will do it at no cost as its for national Interest…..only request – two cup of Teh-C hot one….