NAFAS AKHIR / THE LAST BREATH – MALAYSIAN HOCKEY "We reach a critical juncture this year: we must either bounce back or face irreparable decline" BY MANINDERJIT SINGH (MIKE)
Warm greetings to everyone.
Many have asked about new articles regarding
Malaysian hockey. I have been busy with my podcast, Planet Sukan, and various
projects for the FIH.
Let’s get to the point: THE LAST BREATH.
We have been in decline since 2015 and have yet
to recover following the 2018 Asian Games. This year will determine whether we
recover or fall further toward an irreparable state on the world hockey stage.
We have now dropped to our lowest world ranking of 15th. In world hockey, there
are only 20 elite teams, despite the FIH ranking system including over 90
nations. Being ranked 15th out of these 20 is the true measure of our standing;
beyond this top tier, the gap in team standards is significant due to a lack of
tournament participation.
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In 2026, there are five key tournaments:
1. FIH Nations Cup: June, Cape Town
2. FIH Men’s World Cup: August,
Belgium/Netherlands
3. Asian Games: September, Nagoya, Japan
4. Asian Champions Trophy: October, Punjab,
India
5. Sultan Azlan Shah Cup: November, Ipoh, Perak
When we fail, we change the coaching staff;
however, the core problem lies within the ecosystem and the pathway for
developing international players. Many facets require a major overhaul, as the
current system produces national-level players rather than
international-caliber athletes.
Returning to the topic: The Last Breath. The
new coach lacks a strong track record, having achieved no major milestones as a
player, such as competing in the Olympics or World Cups. While several
world-class coaches have expressed reservations regarding his profile, I will
not disclose those details here.
He has set targets to reach the finals of the
FIH Nations Cup and the 2026 Asian Games.
Regarding the Nations Cup, we are in Pool A
with Japan, Korea, New Zealand, and Scotland, while Pool B includes Ireland,
France, South Africa, and the USA. Given that New Zealand, Ireland, France, and
South Africa have competed in the FIH Pro League, and we have not defeated
Japan or Korea in the last two years, our path to these goals remains unclear.
Watch out for Scotland; they are a well-balanced dark horse.
For the FIH Men’s World Cup, we are placed in
Pool B alongside Belgium, Germany, and France. Given the competition, we may
finish last in the pool, moving us to Pool G with the bottom two teams from
Pool C, likely South Africa and Ireland. In the classification stage, we would
face Ireland and South Africa, with our result against France carried forward.
Our goal should be to finish third in Pool G to compete for 13th/14th place,
rather than last, which would relegate us to the 15th/16th place match. In the
2018 and 2023 editions, we finished 15th out of 16 teams—our worst World Cup
performances to date—compared to our best results: 4th in 1975 and 8th in Kuala
Lumpur in 2002. The 2026 Asian Games will follow the FIH World Cup with only a
15-day gap, creating a tight schedule. India and Pakistan are expected to be
the top contenders, given their participation in the Pro League. Japan will
compete as hosts, while Korea seeks redemption after failing to qualify for the
2026 FIH World Cup. Due to our low world ranking, we will likely face a
difficult pool.
Two further tournaments will follow: the Asian
Champions Trophy and the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup.
**Rationale for the title: THE LAST BREATH**
Between June and November, we face five key
tournaments comprising approximately 45–50 official matches. World rankings are
calculated using the formula: RWI (Result × Weightage × Importance).
The importance levels for these tournaments are
as follows:
* FIH World Cup: 10
* Asian Games: 6
* Nation Cup: 3
* Asian Champions Trophy: 3
* Sultan Azlan Shah Cup: 2
Furthermore, our squad is currently recognized
as the oldest team with the most international caps in world hockey. Most
players are aged 33 and above. Due to a failure to develop junior talent, the
last three Malaysian Junior World Cup teams have performed poorly, finishing 4th
in Asia without reaching the podium. In the Junior World Cup, the team placed
12th of 16 in Kuala Lumpur 2023 and 13th of 24 in Tamil Nadu 2025.
Conclusion
With an aging national team and a lack of
successful junior development since 2025, it is questionable whether the squad
can sustain 50 matches over six months while maintaining consistent results.
There is significant concern regarding whether veteran players—such as
Hafizudin, Marhan, Faiz, Fitri, and Faisal—can endure this schedule, given the
lack of depth in the current international hockey bench. Many will suffer
injuries and burnout. Can these key players be sustained through the LA28
Olympic cycle, or will their potential retirement create a significant vacuum
that has been building since 2015?
We lack solutions, having mismanaged the last
three Junior World Cup cycles. Regarding the 2027 JWC, there is no proper
periodization plan or quality international match schedule; Liaoning tours are
insufficient. Six months have passed since the 2025 JWC without any
international matches, ahead of the Junior Asia Cup in Moqi, China, in early
September 2026, followed by the Sultan of Johor Cup in October.
Furthermore, it is unclear how the second round
of the MHL will take place, as all national senior and junior players are
committed to busy international schedules until November. Our current calendar
is poorly structured and managed on an ad-hoc basis. Leading teams utilize a
four-year cycle aligned with the Olympics, incorporating domestic and
international events for U18, U21, and senior squads.
I will provide updates on these events and
periodically share predictions and analyses regarding the issues affecting our
performance.
I wish the Malaysian senior and junior teams
the very best as we reach a critical juncture this year: we must either bounce
back or face irreparable decline.
By September, following the Asian Games, we will determine whether a restructuring is necessary to salvage the sport or if the current office bearers should step down and forgo re-election in 2027, given our repeated failures over the past decade.
Best regards. Thank you for reading and following my articles and comments. It is nothing personal; I simply want Malaysian hockey to return to its rightful place, where we deserve to be in the Olympics again and consistently achieving favorable results in world hockey.
MANINDERJIT SINGH (MIKE)
FORMER OLYMPIAN & WORLD CUPPER
FORMER SEC GEN OF MHC/MHF & FIH THINK TANK
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