Maybank to go all local for 2019
KUALA LUMPUR: Seasoned campaigners Maybank have struggled to make an impact in the Malaysia Hockey League (MHL) over the last few years.
The Tigers, although being powered by six foreigners, finished a disappointing fifth in the Premier Division with just a win from 10 matches in this year’s league.
The Tigers last won the league title in 1995. And for the 2019 season, the bank have decided not to hire foreign players and will instead rely on local players.
Maybank have hired two national players midfielder Meor Mohamed Azuan Hassan and forward Muhd Samsul Haziq.
The Tigers, who have been featuring in the MHL since its inception in 1987, have named former national player and their employee Azrul Effendy Bistamam as the new coach.
Azrul represented Malaysia from 2002 to 2007 and played for Maybank from 2001 to 2014 before he was named as the assistant coach to S.Velappan in 2015.
Azrul was the assistant coach to Shaiful Azli this year.
The 39-year-old Azrul thanked Maybank for his appointment.
“We hired foreign players in the last few years, but we failed to get the desired results.
“So we have decided on an all-local team for the new season comprising eight juniors as we aim to build the team for the future.
“We need to focus more on the local players as we want to build a strong foundation for our players,” said Azrul, who has a Level Two coaching certificate.
Mohd Kamaruzaman Kamaruddin, who was a member of the Malaysian team who won the gold in the Youth Olympics Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina in October, will play for Maybank.
“We also have a number of former national players like Hafifihafiz Hanafi, Mohd Riduan Nasir and Mohd Amerullah Abdul Aziz.
“I have a tough task ahead of me as I want to help Maybank finish in the top four among the seven teams in the Premier Division next year,” said Azrul.
The other teams in the fray are Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL), Terengganu, Tenaga Nasional Nur Insafi, TNB-Thunderbolt and Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM).
Maybank will open their campaign against UiTM in the Tan Sri P. Alagendra Cup on Jan 3.