50 Saturday, June 18 2011
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THE NEW PAPER
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U-18 Hockey Asia Cup
Sports
FYI
AIMING HIGH
What: U-18 Asia Cup When: Today to June 26 Where: Sengkang Hockey Stadium GROUP A: Pakistan, Singapore, Taiwan, Kazakhstan, Brunei GROUP B: Malaysia, South Korea, Sri Lanka, China
Singapore U-18 hockey coach Solomon Casoojee tells DILENJIT SINGH his boys can match the best in Asia
■ FIXTURES Today: Sri Lanka v South Korea (3pm), Taiwan v Kazakhstan (5pm), Singapore v Brunei (7pm) Tomorrow: Malaysia v China (3pm), Taiwan v Pakistan (5pm) June 20: Malaysia v China (7pm) June 21: Kazakhstan v Brunei (5pm), Sri Lanka v China (7pm) June 22: Brunei v Taiwan (5pm), South Korea v China (5pm), Singapore v Pakistan (7pm) June 23: Sri Lanka v Malaysia (3pm), Pakistan v Kazakhstan (5pm), Taiwan v Singapore (7pm) June 25: Semi-finals June 26: Final
■ The Singapore Under-18 hockey team won all their five matches on a training tour to Perth last month. Is that a good sign ahead of the Under-18 Asia Cup tournament starting today? SOLOMON “SOLLY” COSOOJEE: It’s a sign of what’s possible given the right circumstances for these guys. The tour had a unique environment because they didn’t have external distractions. It was a hockey environment. The focus was on the game, so the boys were able to spend time with each other, watched video analysis and talked among themselves about the strategies we’re going to implement. So that’s why I think, given that we’re going into camp now, you’ll see greater improvement through the week if we go the way we did in Perth. I was absolutely blown away by the improvements the boys made in Perth. I didn’t expect it to be as good as that.
WAY TO GO: Solomon Casoojee (centre) thinks his boys can do well in the Asia Cup.
■ What do you think the boys got out of the trip? I WOULD say it’s a 30 to 40 per cent improvement on the field and an 80 to 90 per cent improvement off the field, in terms of their professionalism and understanding of what it takes to be a top-level hockey player. There are seven or eight guys who have the potential to be that. In the current Australian side, there are around five or six guys that I have coached before and I got them to come down to train with the boys. They said nowhere in Australia do they see kids with this amount of natural talent at this age. They commented that the Singaporeans’ stick skills are phenomenal, the flair is there, but what’s lacking is game intelligence and discipline.
■ You’ve targeted a top-four spot in the Asia Cup and hopefully qualify for the final. Considering the short time you’ve been in the job and how little Singapore’s hockey has achieved in recent years, is that realistic? I CERTAINLY think so. We’re quite capable of beating everyone in our group if we play consistently. But, if we think that it’s going to be an easy game and don’t pay attention, we will get beaten.
Coach Solly picks his stick stars
TNP PICTURE: GARY GOH
That’s because the gap in our standard between an average day and a bad day is quite big, so we need to minimise the mistakes and lapses in concentration. Even the Group A game against (defending champions) Pakistan is winnable, provided we’re consistent for 70 minutes. We don’t have to perform over and above (our potential) to be in contention. But, if we lapse for just 10 minutes continuously, we could be three goals down before we know it.
or as a group. Also, the Pakistanis have more contact time on the field and more access to games. We have played only about eight games which are worth anything in terms of preparation, and certainly not at a high enough intensity. What we lack is exposure to high-level competitive games, that’s the main thing we need. The boys are good enough, they just need the opportunity to play as a team and be put under a lot more pressure.
■ You’ve previously said that Pakistan are not much better than Singapore. So what is the main difference between Singapore and the other teams? I’D SAY it’s cohesion and refinement of the skills. I can have raw talent, but if I can’t consistently execute and work with the players around me in a cohesive way, then I’m not going to reach my potential as an individual
■ When you took over the national team last month, one of the key problems you identified was that the players were spoon-fed. Have they since taken more initiatives on and off the pitch like you demanded? ABSOLUTELY. The group culture at the moment is phenomenal and that stems not just
■ TICKETS Daily tickets are priced at $10 for adults and $5 for students (11 to 16 years old). Season tickets are $60 for all. Children below 10 enter for free. Buy tickets outside the stadium or online at //singaporehockey.org/asia18/p urchase-your-tickets-online-2
from the Under-18s, it goes all the way through to the Under-21s and the senior team as well. When we came back from Perth, we went through a little bit of a flat phase – straight into exams, a lot of pressure on the boys. But the senior guys stepped up and rallied around the juniors, trying to keep them on track, telling them to keep focusing. I have got pretty much all my senior and Under-21s players volunteering to help out with the Asia Cup in various roles – recording matches on video, being team liaison officers, ushers, anything and everything we needed. And that wasn’t me pushing them – I didn’t ask them. It’s them taking ownership, rather than me saying: please do this and that. I’m tremendously proud, it has set a good tone going forward. The senior guys, in particular, are very keen for this group to have the best possible platform because, I think, they feel that they’ve been let down in the past and haven’t had the best possible opportunities. They’re trying to help put the best programme in place for the younger guys.
■ HASEEF SALIM Solomon says: A great presence defensively with his excellent anticipation and distribution.
■ ZULFADLI JASNI ISMAIL Solomon says: A unique player, very composed, has excellent anticipation and a good organiser.
■ HIDAYAT MAT RAHIM Solomon says: An excellent attacking player, eliminates players with his pace and stick skills.
■ SHAFIQ ABDUL RASHID Solomon says: My bulldog, he does a lot of work. Has the knack of getting under the skin of rival players.
■ NUR ASHRIQ FERDAUS ZULKEPLI Solomon says: A rare gem, unbelievable skills in attack and defence. Our playmaker and game breaker.
■ SILAS ABDUL RAZAK NOOR SHAH Solomon says: Dynamic striker, excellent in tight spaces. Gets his shot off nine times out of 10.