KUALA LUMPUR – Former national hockey player Shankar Ramu has urged fans to give their full support to newly appointed national head coach Sarjit Singh, citing that the former Olympian should be given adequate time to lead Malaysia to eventual Olympic qualification.
The 54-year-old Shankar, who played for the Speedy Tigers for 10 years (1988-1998), once formed a deadly midfield trio with Sarjit and Soon Mustafa, which saw Malaysia qualify for the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.
During his time as a player, Shankar also won bronze in the 1990 Beijing Asian Games and silver in the 1998 Kuala Lumpur Commonwealth Games.
With Sarjit’s extensive experience in the game and his commendable track record of nurturing young talent for the country, Shankar firmly believes that his former teammate is the ideal person to guide Malaysia to the Olympics in the coming years.
Malaysia’s last appearance in the world’s biggest multisport event was in the year 2000 in Sydney, Australia.
“I have known Sarjit for so many years, and it’s rare to see former players with experience coming back to serve the country as a coach. I have a good relationship with Sarjit, and our partnership and friendship on and off the pitch has always been exceptional.
“We played together for six years, and it was a learning curve for us when we faced some of the best teams in the world. For me, he was the best centre-half I have ever played with; he’s a very knowledgeable player known for his strong personality.
“I’m happy that he’s back to lead the team, and I’m very sure that he will be able to get the best out of his players. I truly hope that things change for the betterment of Malaysian hockey, as all fans, including former Olympians like myself, have been waiting for years to see our team qualify for the Olympics.
“If the team does well, I will be the happiest man in the country, as, at the end of the day, Sarjit is my buddy. A friend will always want to see another friend do well. I hope the fans can stay calm and trust the process, and if Sarjit is given the time, he will be able to deliver by leading Malaysia back to the Olympics one day,” said Shankar at a press conference today.
Sarjit was hired on a two-year contract by the Malaysian Hockey Confederation, replacing Arul Selvaraj, whose tenure ended after the Olympic qualifier in Muscat, Oman, in January.
The 61-year-old coach has scouted between 40 and 42 players from the ongoing Malaysian Hockey League and will begin training on March 19.
Sarjit, who previously coached the Johor state team, previously led the national side from January 2007 to December 2008.
The former national hockey captain also coached the national junior team from 2004 to 2006.
The Speedy Tigers are currently 13th in the world rankings, with 1,828.27 points. – March 8, 2024
