Nik to spearhead SOJC charge
N AT I O N A L senior player Nik Aiman Rozemi leads a 20-man cast for the Sultan of Johor Cup (SOJC) on Oct 22-29 at the Taman Daya Stadium in Johor Baru.
Nik was slated to play in the Asia Cup in Dhaka on Oct 11-22, but national chief coach Stephen van Huizen released him for the SOJC.
SOJC, an under-21 tournament, is the only junior invitational sanctioned by the International Hockey Federation (FIH) around the globe.
Five of the players named have played either with the senior team, Sea Games or the Junior World Cup.
Assistant coach Nor Saiful Zaini believes this is the best set of players assembled for the SOJC, which is into its seventh edition.
“We combined experienced juniors with first timers to form this team, and I believe they are the future of this country,” said Nor Saiful a three-time Olympian.
Nor Saiful believes the experienced players will be able to guide the newcomers to give Australia, India, Britain, Japan and the United States a good fight.
The team will enter their final phase of training on Oct 15-20 after which two players will be dropped.
“The final phase will push all the players to the limit to select the best 18 after which they have a few days to rest before playing against some of the best junior teams in the world,” said Nor Saiful.
Adrian Andy Albert (Sapura/JWC 2016), Zaimi Mat Deris (Development Team), Firdaus Omar (Development Team), Luqman Nul Hakim (Development Team), Idris Samad (Thunderbolts), Arif Shafie Ishak (Thunderbolts), Syarman Mat Tee (Thunderbolts), Shafiq Hassan (SMK Bentara Luar), Norsyafiq Sumantri (Development/Sea Games), Faiq Razin Zariq (Thunderbolts), Shello Silverius (Thunderbolts), Izham Azhar (Thunderbolts), Nursyahmi Zulkifli (Thunderbolts), Amirul Hamizan (Thunderbolts), Zulhamizan Awang Abas (Tenaga/JWC 2016), Nik Aiman Rozemi (National team), Hafiizhuddin Zaidi (Tenaga/JWC 2016), Azrai Aizad (Thunderbolts), Akhimullah Anuar Esook (Thunderbolts), Hazzim Amin (Thunderbolts). Jugjet Singh