Dharmaraj admits KLHC have a score to settle with Terengganu

KLHC coach K. Dharmaraj, who has been coaching the team since 2000, admitted that they have a score to settle with the star-studded Terenganu.

KUALA LUMPUR: For a club built on almost uninterrupted success for seven years, the Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club (KLHC) must have felt like major flops after ending last season without a title.

KLHC have been the most successful club in the Malaysia Hockey League (MHL) – until 2013.

They made their MHL debut in 2000 as Arthur Anderson, before changing their name to Ernst and Young in 2006. 

Three years later, they were renamed KLHC.

KLHC have won 13 titles – including being five-time double champions in 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013.

They also won two league titles in 2006 and 2007 and were overall champions in 2009.

KLHC’s run of success came to an abrupt halt last year, having to play the bridesmaid’s role to Terengganu, who won the double – league and overall titles.

And KLHC coach K. Dharmaraj, who has been coaching the team since 2000, admitted that “we have a score to settle with the star-studded Terenganu team”.

Terengganu, who only made their MHL debut in 2013, were powered by five South Korean internationals and seven national players last year.

“Last year, we came very close to beating them in the final for the overall title ... but we lost 2-1 in the penalty shootout,” said former national team coach Dharmaraj.

The match had to be decided on penalty shootout as both teams failed to break the 3-3 deadlock in regulation time.

Each team can register six foreign players, and KLHC have roped in five Pakistani players and a German.

The Pakistani players are midfielders Waseem Ahmad, Muhammad Rizwan Senior and Fareed Ahmad and forwards Muhammad Umar Bhutta and Ali Shan. German forward Philipp Stahr featured for Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) the last two years.

KLHC also have the services of four national players – skipper and penalty corner flicker Mohd Razie Abdul Rahim, goalkeeper Roslan Jamaluddin, defender Mohd Sukri Abdul Mutalib and midfielder Nabil Fiqri Mohd Noor.

They’ve also hired Malaysia-born German-based defender Kelvin Lim and former National Juniors Mohd Noor Faeez, Dedy Aryadi, G. Kavin Kartik, Mohd Syaymin Yusof, Rashid Baharom and Azri Hassan.

Dharmaraj feels that KLHC have enough depth in all departments to put up a strong challenge in the league this year.

“Our mission this year is to wrest away one of the two titles in the MHL,” said Dharmaraj, who will be assisted by Singapore coach Harun Al Rashid Samri.

KLHC will open their campaign against Terengganu in the season-opening Charity Shield match on Aug 2.

In last year’s league matches, KLHC beat Terengganu 2-1 at home in KL but lost the away game 6-1 in Kuala Terengganu.