Defeat to Tenaga won’t sap Terengganu’s energy

PETALING JAYA: The Tan Sri P. Alagendra Cup defeat to Tenaga Nasional is an early lesson for Terengganu.

Coach I. Vickneswaran, who has been with Terengganu for only a week, said some of the players were not fully settled as they were trying to get the dynamics right.

“When someone new comes into the team, there will be a change in dynamics. The period of adaptation will be there and it was evident during the tournament,” he said.

“During the Cup, some players came in as the tournament progressed and there were shortcomings which will be rectified before the league starts.”

On Sunday, Terengganu were beaten 1-2 by Tenaga Nasional at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil.

It was a bitter defeat for Terengganu as they were looking to win the Cup for the second time since 2017.

Vickneswaran said every training session will be vital as all the players need to get their fundamentals right before their opening game against Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) on Jan 11.

Terengganu have kept two foreigners from last season – Pablo Xavier Travisan of Argentina and Pakistan’s Ahmad Shakeel Butt.

South Korean Jang Jong-hyun, who played for KLHC last season, are among Terengganu’s new signings.

Daniel Kyriakides of Wales, Ganzalo Merino of Argentina and Korean Jung Manjae make up the other imports.

“We have to work on our compatibility because most of our players come from diverse backgrounds. They have to understand each other’s playing style,” said Vickneswaran.

“I believe the foreign players can do that. In the past, it was a challenge but these days foreign players add value to the team.

“Every team wants to win the league and I want my boys to do their best throughout the season.”

Terengganu will also be powered by the Saari brothers – Fitri and Faizal – who featured in the recent Hockey World Cup in India with Malaysia.