Coach Beng Hai avoids press at airport
SEPANG: National hockey coach Tai Beng gave the media the slip at KL International Airport amidst speculation that he was ready to quit following the team’s failure to qualify for the London Olympics.
The Malaysia Airlines flight from London landed at 6.20pm yesterday and all the officials – team manager George Koshy, team co-ordinator Stephen van Huizen and assistant coach Nur Saiful Zaini – and players came through the arrival hall. All, except Beng Hai.
The reporters waited patiently for the coach for 20 minutes but it soon became apparent that he had taken another exit to avoid facing the pressmen.
Such an attitude is clearly unprofessional and unbecoming of a national coach who is paid to do the job and answerable to the public.
Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) deputy president Datuk Nur Azmi Ahmad, general manager Maninderjit Singh and Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) secretary general Tan Sri P. Alagendra were among those present at the airport to welcome the officials and players.
Malaysia failed to qualify for the London Olympics after finishing third in the qualifying tournament in Dublin on Sunday.
This is the third consecutive Olympic failure for Malaysian hockey.
Nur Azmi said the MHC would meet soon to decide on Beng Hai’s fate.
Asked about the coach avoiding the media, Nur Azmi, who was not part of the big entourage of officials that accompanied the team to Dublin, said: “I believe he isn’t ready to face the press.
“He’s disappointed that the team failed to qualify for the Olympics. He sent me a text message saying that he wants to quit.”
Nur Azmi, however, said they still need Beng Hai’s services as Malaysia have been invited to play in a four-nation tournament in Karachi next month.
“We want the players to continue as well because we are also hosting the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in May,” he said.
Nur Azmi said three players had indicated that they wanted to retire after the Dublin flop. They are defenders Mohd Amin Rahim, Mohd Madzli Ikmar and goalkeeper Roslan Jamaluddin.