Murugappa Cup provides important exposure for Malaysia juniors, says Nor Saiful

Nor Saiful Zaini Nasir-U-Din said in Chennai on Monday that the All-India MCC-Murugappa Gold Cup offers valuable exposure for his Malaysian junior players after he guided them to the Sultan of Johor Cup title on Saturday. The 60-year-old spoke on the tournament sidelines about the benefits of facing senior Indian sides.

Nor Saiful Zaini Nasir-U-Din and former India captain Dhanraj Pillay share a long friendship and frequent banter; Saiful recalled the 1998 Commonwealth Games semifinal when Pillay “missed a few chances” as Malaysia won 1-0. “That’s a painful memory for him. You can ask him,” said Saiful, a three-time Olympian, who added that they used to call the former India captain “King” for the way he walked and talked. Now 60, Saiful celebrated guiding Malaysia’s junior team to the Sultan of Johor Cup title on Saturday, ending a 15-year wait.

“I think with this win, we have a team that we can prepare for the Junior World Cup next year. That’s the motivation we have from this title. We hope these youngsters make the national team. That’s most important for development,” he said on the sidelines of the All-India MCC-Murugappa Gold Cup here on Monday.

On the value of the Gold Cup as preparation, Saiful said: “Playing against senior players from India, we see a lot of different skills and a different type of hockey. That is the most valuable thing.” He also flagged a scheduling test for his squad, noting they face the challenge of playing four matches in as many days at the tournament.

“Almost after we finished the final (in Johor Bahru), everyone packed up and went straight to the airport. We arrived here yesterday (Sunday), and are playing another game today. The problem is that we have never played four games in a row. We need a good plan - playing without getting tired unnecessarily. The rotation must be very good. Everyone has to play, rest and come back,” he said.

Saiful drew attention to the smaller domestic base for Malaysian hockey, saying: “We have only six or seven clubs. It is difficult to find quality players to represent the country. In the 1970s, we had a good mixture of Malay, Chinese, Indian, and Sikh players. Now, the hockey population has dropped,” he said.

Malaysia, having arrived in Chennai on Sunday after the Sultan of Johor Cup final in Johor Bahru, were scheduled to play another match in the All-India MCC-Murugappa Gold Cup on Monday as they use the tournament to prepare for the Junior World Cup next year and to push players toward the senior national team.