Tenaga now proud owner of 12 titles

By AFTAR SINGH

KUALA LUMPUR: Tenaga Nasional are now the indisputed No. 1 hockey team in the Malaysia Hockey League (MHL).

On Friday, they beat Sapura 4-2 in a penalty shootout at the Tun Razak Stadium here to become overall champions for a record seventh time since the MHL’s inception in 1985.

Having also landed the league crown five times, Tenaga are now the proud owners of 12 titles in the MHL.

On Friday, Tenaga also scooped up three of the four individual titles.

Penalty corner flicker Mohd Amin Rahim was the top scorer with 15 goals; defender Baljit Singh Charun was named the best player of the tournament; and S. Kumar was voted as the best goalkeeper.

Tenaga also picked up the Fairplay award while Sapura skipper S. Kuhan was named man of the match in the final.

Tenaga coach Manjit Singh attributed their success to the way “we take care of our players’ welfare”.

“The players we hire also work for Tenaga ... that is why the players are dedicated and give their best in the MHL,” said Manjit.

He also praised the five new players they roped in last year, saying “they have really played exceptionally well in the league”.

Tenaga hired national player Faisal Saari, former national juniors Mohd Nor Hafiq Abdul Gaffar and Izwan Firdaus as well as Mohd Jamil Saidin and Shazril Irwan Nazli.

“We had a mix of experienced and young players and we were confident of doing much better in the MHL this season.”

Manjit also welcomed the idea of holding league matches at different venues in Penang, Malacca and Johor Baru, saying it was a good way to promote hockey in the country.

He also hailed the Malaysian Hockey Federation (MHF) for getting some of the matches aired live on television.

But he also had some grouses.

“I am against teams playing two matches in two days. I feel that to get quality matches, teams need to have at least one day’s rest in between,” said Manjit.

“In 2008, matches were played on Fridays and Sundays but this season matches were played on Fridays and Saturdays.

“I think the MHF need to look into the matter,” said Manjit.

Meanwhile, league champions Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club coach R. Vivekanandan has shouldered the blame for his team’s failure to bag the double.

“We were the favourites based on the number of national players in the team but my players failed to live up to expectations in the semi-final against Sapura,” said Vivekanandan, who is coaching for the first time in the MHL.

Sapura, who finished fourth in the Premier Division, upset KLHC 5-3 on aggregate to reach the final.

Sapura and Maybank team managers Abdullah Yunus and Abdul Rahim Musa both agreed that the league was well organised by MHF.

“We are happy with MHF for the good work they have done to make the MHL a success, especially by showing live matches and also having matches played in different states.”