KUALA LUMPUR – National junior head coach I. Vikneswaran has assured that his new role will not conflict with his ongoing duties with the Kuala Lumpur Hockey Association (KLHA).
Vikneswaran, a former international player who represented Malaysia in the 1993 Junior World Cup in Spain and the senior team in the 1990s and early 2000s, is also the KLHA president.
He served as the national junior team manager at the Junior World Cup (JWC) in 2021 and 2023.
At 51 years old, Vikneswaran was recently appointed as the junior head coach for the Young Tigers, succeeding Amin Rahim, who led the team to a 12th-place finish in the JWC before it was disbanded.
Under Vikneswaran’s guidance, the 26 Young Tigers flew to Brisbane on July 24 for a six-match hockey tour.
They will play four matches against the Australian national under-21 team from July 27 to 31, and two matches against the Queensland Hockey Club on August 1 and 5.
The Malaysia Hockey Confederation’s (MHC) primary goal for the junior team is to qualify for next year’s JWC in India through the Junior Asia Cup.
Speaking to Scoop, Vikneswaran emphasised that his duties with KLHA will not interfere with his national team responsibilities, thanks to his strong team and their shared vision for the association’s growth.
“The association is not dependent on me alone, as my committee is as dedicated to its progress as I am.
“Therefore, I am confident that my involvement with the national team will not cause any issues, as I will remain informed about everything happening within the association.
“We all share the same vision and continuously think of ways to elevate the standard of hockey in the state, such as ensuring our participation in all MHC-organised tournaments,” Vikneswaran said.
At the same time, Vikneswaran expressed his intention to expedite the resolution of the ongoing water pump issues at the Kuala Lumpur Hockey Stadium before the upcoming KLHA presidential elections.
It is expected that about RM300,000 is needed to repair the pumps.
“The turf is currently unusable, and completing the repair work is a priority on my agenda. The Kuala Lumpur City Council (DBKL) has assured us that repairs will begin by the end of this year.
“We have a strong relationship with DBKL and are confident that the issue will be resolved in due time.
“Once the turf is ready, we can further enhance the association by organising more tournaments for veterans, youth, and hockey5s,” Vikneswaran added.
The KLHA presidential election is expected to take place at the end of the year.
Vikneswaran assured us that he would address the issues, although securing another term would depend on the election results.
Under Vikneswaran’s leadership, KLHA ended their 12-year Tun Abdul Razak Cup title drought, lifting the trophy for the 19th time in the team’s history.
In October last year, they defeated Melaka 4-2 in a penalty shootout match at the Bukit Jalil National Hockey Stadium. – July 28, 2024