Hockey team ready for action, 34 called up for training

PETALING JAYA: National hockey head coach Brendon Carolan is getting straight to work right after the Malaysian Hockey League (MHL) wrapped up its first phase over the weekend.

The 34 players called up for the centralised training camp include three new faces - Safwan Salihe, Rahuul Fazrien Nazrien, and Nabil Irfan Yusof, alongside familiar names in the senior squad.

The three fresh faces from the Thunderbolts impressed Carolan during the MHL season, but will need to prove they deserve a spot in the final squad that will compete at the Nations Cup in South Africa from June 11-20, World Cup in Holland and Belgium from Aug 14-30, and the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games from Sept 19-Oct 4.

“The coaching staff believe all these players deserve to be here and they were not selected solely based on past reputation. However, the national team door is always open to players who deserve an opportunity,” said Carolan.

Meanwhile, team manager Datuk Ahmad Najmi Abdul Razak said the team will remain in South Africa after the Nations Cup to prepare for the World Cup and Asian Games.

“After the Nations Cup, the team will undergo five friendly matches against South Africa, along with team-building sessions to strengthen understanding among the players. “