Defender Baljit one of the key juniors in new team

KUALA LUMPUR: Defender Baljit Singh is among the key players in the formation of a new national junior hockey squad. 

The squad under the charge of coach Sarjit Singh will begin training this month and their target is qualification for the 2009 Junior World Cup Finals. 

The 18-year-old Baljit, who was in the team for last year’s Finals in Rotterdam, is among 40 players who have been called for the first phase of training. 

Training was scheduled to begin today but it has been postponed to Jan 11 to allow school-going players time to sort out their leave. The new school term starts tomorrow. 

“Besides having to sort out leave from their schools, a number of the players also want to attend the start of their school term to find out details on their studies before coming for training,” said Sarjit yesterday. 

Sarjit added that besides Baljit, there were several others who have had stints with the national junior team – among them Mohamed Razie Abdul Rahim, Mohamed Herman Pami, Mohamed Firdaus Ahmad, Mohamed Fitri Abu Bakar and Mohamed Nor Zakhwan. 

The team have six matches lined up this month and they will go to India to compete in the Under-18 Asia Cup tournament next month. 

They will play against the French national team on Jan 18 and 19 and then against a Dutch junior side from Jan 22. 

Sarjit said that the first phase of training would concentrate on preparing the Under-18 players for the Asia Cup. 

“The second objective is to look at the talent available for the 2009 squad. That is why we have included many Under-16 players in the squad,” he said. 

The team management are also expected to go on a talent-scouting run from March. 

“We will go to all the states, including Sabah and Sarawak. The states must ensure that their players attend the trials. We will inform the states of the dates,” said Sarjit. 

THE TRAINING SQUAD 

Mohamed Herwan Pami, Mohamed Nor Hisham, Mohamed Hafiz Dollah Moksim, Mohamed Razali Zulkipli, Mohamed Amirul Syafiq, Mohamed Noor Khairul Azrain, Mohamed Firdaus Ahmad, Mohamed Amir Manaf, Mohamed Zulfadli Rosley, S. Muniandy, Mohamed Isnin Akbal, Mohamed Yusri Zainul, Mohamed Fareez Ismail, Mohamed Khairul Mohamed Nor, Hafiz Jami, Mohamed Muhsin Hamsani, Mohamed Kharil Azhar, Mohamed Salwadi Mat Nor;  

Mohamed Hairul Ibrahim, Nabil Fiqri Mohamed Nor, Mohamed Razie Abdul Rahim, Craig Fernendez, Mohamed Hafiz Zakaria, Mohamed Fitri Abu Bakar, Abdul Hakim Adnan, Mohamed Ridzwan Yusof, Mohamed Ifzul Hayat Ahman, Khairul Anuar Md Isa, Ahmad Kazaminul Nasaruddin, Ahmad Ridzwan, Mohamed Harfizi Baharom, Fakhrul Fahmie Mohamed, Baljit Singh, A. Asmawi, Azreen Rizal, R. Prakash, Amirul Mukminim Hashim, Mohamed Nor Zakhwan, Tuan Abdul Walid, Mohamed Ashraf Zakaria.