KUCHING: Sarawak men’s hockey may not enjoy much success at the Malaysia Games (Sukma) but with this year’s Sukma being held at home and months of training in the Peninsular, things may be different.
Sarawak men’s hockey have been on the receiving end of heavy defeats in past Sukma competitions, including the last one held in Kuala Lumpur but coach Dangerouslee Matthew may have other ideas this time.
Not many have given them a ghost of a chance to even go past the first round but Dangerouslee, a former National Junior squad player, knows the team’s weaknesses and areas for improvement.
This time around, he has not set a target, acknowledging their past failures to even get a single win.
Instead, he has urged his players to play aggressively in front of their home fans, drawing confidence from their extensive training in the Peninsular and matches against state teams.
During their tour, they were able to test several combinations, which are vital in hockey, a luxury they lacked in previous Sukma due to the lack of time.
We want our local supporters to support our team in droves this time, and that will help boost our players’ morale.
“I believe this year the players are getting into the right momentum in their preparations.
Things are different this Sukma as in past Sukma, our players were not able to have full training or develop the necessary combination play.
“Also this time, almost 80 per cent of our players have been able to train together and get used to strategy changes easily.
“My training focuses on playing the modern game of pressing and changing the tempo, with emphasis on tactical defending and attack as well as mastering the corners.
“Fitness and strength are also essential, and we have built on these aspects as part of our buildup to this Sukma.
“I am confident we can give a good fight against other teams this time,” he stressed.
The Sarawak team started training in 2023, primarily with Kuching-based players as a number of the players are studying in other divisions.
Two players on the call-up list are studying in Sabah while seven play in the Junior Hockey League in Kuala Lumpur.
Five of the KL-based players are playing for the RZS Hockey Club, one for the PHJ-MSHJ Club and one for Anderson Thunderbolt, giving the team a balanced squad in terms of experience.
The Sukma squad includes eight players who played in the last Sukma in Kuala Lumpur. They are Alexander Ekram, Ted Ranieri Addit Abdullah, Taufik Akmal, Nor Mohd Fiqri, Augustine Dan and Valrian Kenny.
Sarawak plans to tour the Peninsular for friendly matches from July to August where they will take on the likes of Kuala Lumpur, Perak and Johor. Before Sukma starts, Sarawak will play in a five-team tournament.
