KUALA LUMPUR – National hockey head coach Sarjit Singh has openly admitted that it will be an “uphill task” for his team when they embark on their Australian tour in April, which will serve as a warm-up for the Speedy Tigers ahead of the FIH Nations Cup.
The world number 13 side, with an average squad age of 25.7 years, will travel to Perth from April 18 to 30 for a six-match friendly series against Western Australia and world number six Australia.
Speaking to Scoop, Sarjit, who has selected 30 players from the recently concluded Malaysia Hockey League (MHL) for the tour, stressed that results against the 2014 world champions are not his primary concern.
Instead, he sees the tour as an opportunity for his players to gain valuable match experience and test themselves against some of the world’s best teams.
“Of course, the results against Australia are unlikely to be in our favour, and realistically, these matches will be an uphill task for us. But we are not approaching them with a must-win mentality—we aim to give our best and play quality hockey.
“As always, when we lose friendlies against top teams, critics will have their say, but we are prepared for that. Just because some people don’t understand the process doesn’t mean we should avoid playing high-quality matches for fear of losing.
“Even the best teams in the world, like Germany, India, and Argentina, have lost friendlies, yet they continue playing them because these matches help build players’ confidence and improve their ability to make quick decisions on the ball. If we don’t play matches like these, we will never learn or progress.
“Since we are the hosts, I want to ensure we perform well in this year’s Nations Cup, and facing a top team like Australia is part of that preparation. I don’t want my boys to struggle against formidable opponents during the tournament, so we need to be well-prepared. I will continue to arrange more high-quality friendlies in the coming months,” Sarjit said when met at the Bukit Jalil National Hockey Stadium.
Last year, Sarjit’s side endured a difficult European tour, losing all their friendlies against Belgium and India (who were preparing for the Paris Olympics), with their heaviest defeat coming against Germany in a 10-1 loss.
The Nations Cup, scheduled for June 15 to 21 in Kuala Lumpur, will see Sarjit’s team aiming for a top-four finish—a target set by the Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC).
Malaysia, ranked 13th in the world, will be grouped with France, South Korea, and Wales.
In the previous edition of the Nations Cup, which serves as a qualifier for the prestigious FIH Pro League, Malaysia finished seventh out of nine teams. – February 26, 2025