Coach down with mumps but the training goes on

KUALA LUMPUR: Terengganu women’s hockey coach Mohd Nasihin Nubli has been down with mumps for the past one week.

And this has affected the team’s training and also preparation for the Malaysia Hockey League (women’s), which begins on Jan 11.

Nasihin, a former national goalkeeper, hopes to recover before the league starts.

“I only had two training sessions with the team before I had mumps. I am on medical leave and in my absence, Siti Rahmah (Othman) is coaching the team with the help of our team captain Siti Noor (Amarina Ruhani).

“Siti Rahmah is a player-cum-assistant coach for the team. I have prepared training drills and plans for Siti Rahmah and Siti Noor to carry out in training, ” said Nasihin, who was a former national assistant coach.

Despite Nasihin’s absence, Terengganu will be the team to beat in the league.

The East coast side have hired three foreigners – two from Argentina and one from Kazakhstan to beef up the squad for their double title defence – the league and overall titles.

The Argentines are midfielder Agostina Galimberti and forward Micaela Andrada Farace, who played for the Bremen club in the German Hockey League while goalkeeper Guzal Bakhavaddin is from Kazakhstan.

The Argentina players will arrive today before Terengganu open their campaign against debutants Sabah at the Likas Hockey Stadium in Sabah on Jan 11.

Terengganu also have the services of five national players.

Besides Siti Noor Amarina, the other national players in the team are Nuraslinda Said, Nursyafiqah Mohd Zain, Nurul Syafiqa Mat Isa and Fazilla Sylvester Silin.

Six teams will feature in the women’s league and Nasihin said they have to watch out for debutants Hockey Academy of KL as they have a number of local and foreign national players.