Former national player Azrul Effendy Bistamam is Maybank coach in Malaysia Hockey League
PETALING JAYA: The Maybank boys will be banking on a three-week centralised training camp at their academy in Bangi to reap dividends at the Malaysian Hockey League (MHL).
The league is expected to start on March 11 and all players except for Joel van Huizen will report for duty today.
Maybank’s coach Azrul Effendy Bistamam said the players would train and stay at the academy.
“Joel has not gotten the permission to play yet (from his employer) but the others will stay and train here.
“The preparation will be short but we’ve to deal with it, ” said Azrul.
Azrul said they would try to book the National Hockey Stadium but knows they may not get it immediately.
“It may take time as other teams are also keen to train there. Hopefully, we will get to play there at least for two weeks, ” he said.
He is happy that players have kept themselves fit through home training.
“We have good players who are capable of challenging the top sides in the league, ” he said.
Last season, the club finished fourth in the league and lost 2-5 to Tenaga Nasional in the TNB Cup third-fourth playoff.
Besides Joel, the others in the team are national strikers Haziq Shamsul, Meor Azuan Hassan; national juniors’ goalkeeper Mohd Aidil Mohd Shah; defenders Adam Aiman Mamat, Asyraf Ishak, Najmi Farizal Jazlan; midfielders Rico Alfarico Lance Liau, Syafiq Hassan, Hafizi Zainuddin; and experienced players like strikers Amirullah Zainol, Hafifihafiz Hanafi and goalkeeper Zaimi Mat Deris.
