Terengganu turn to locals to deliver in MHL opener

PETALING JAYA: Terengganu may have to rely on locals in their Malaysia Hockey League (MHL) opener against Nur Insafi at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil tomorrow.

The East Coast side’s Argentine players Pablo Xavier Travisan and Gonzalo Merino, and Pakistani Ammad Shakeel Butt will only join the team after their opening match.

Three others – Wales’ Daniel Kyriakides and South Koreans Jung Man-jae and Jang Jong-hyun – are doubtful as they are down with a bout of fever.

The team, however, have several national players in their ranks including Nabil Fiqri Mohammad Noor (pic), Azri Hassan and the Saari brothers – Fitri and Faizal – who can deliver the results.

Terengganu coach I. Vickneswaran said he’s confident that his men can still deliver the result despite playing without the foreign players.

“Our Welsh and South Korean players are not feeling well. Kyriakides has been vomiting so I might have to quarantine them to avoid the other players from getting infected if it’s some kind of bug,” said the former international yesterday.

“The other three imports will be joining us later after the opening match but I don’t see it as a big problem. We still have some of the top national players in the team who can get the job done for us.”

Vickneswaran said the expectation is high to win one of the three titles this year.

Terengganu have bagged nine titles in the last five years under former national coach Singh.

They’ve won the Premier Division four times in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2018, the overall title ( TNB Cup) four times in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 and the Tan Sri P. Alagendra Cup once in 2017.

“We started our training later than the other teams in the MHL due to various reasons.

“I believe the other teams have prepared well for the season, so it will not be easy for us but we’re ready to give a fight,” said Vickneswaran. Sarjit