PETALING JAYA: The 2025 Junior Hockey World Cup starting in December may seem like some time away, but the Malaysian team don’t feel like time is on their side as they prepare for the prestigious competition in India.
In fact, coach I. Vikneswaran said his Young Tigers will be hard-pressed for time to get into the best state for the tournament.
“People will say it’s a long way to go, but in reality it’s a short period of time to get the team ready. There’s not much time,” he said.
“If you look at the calendar, after Hari Raya, the junior league will begin and by the time that is over, it will be roughly June or July.
“After that, where are we to go for tours? How many international matches can we get?
Vikneswaran noted that for the team to be adequately prepared for the battle at the World Cup, match exposure and experience will be vital.
“For a full fledged team to play international hockey at a good level, you need about 30 over games a year.
“We didn’t have many matches last year, and these are all things we need to factor in,” he said.
The Young Tigers earned their ticket to the World Cup after finishing fourth at the Junior Asia Cup last year after losing 1-2 to Japan in Oman.
