PDRM on the right track

The Royal Malaysian Police ( PDRM) will be out to create hockey history as they try to win their first ever Razak Cup title.

The longest running Hockey tournament in the country commenced in  1963 and enters its 54th edition with this year.

It saw the full complement of affiliates of the MHC competing, something not seen for quite  sometime.

PDRM have never won the Razak Cup although the ladies had done well under Tuan Takbir Ahmad in the 80"s and 90"s.

The only uniformed team to have won the Razak Cup are the Armed  Forces who were champions in 1972, 1976 and 1990 where they were joint champs with Perak.

Although the MHC has 16 affiliates, not all of them have won this prestigious trophy.

Those who have won the title are as follows - Selangor (  10 times ) 
Kuala Lumpur ( 19 times )
Perak ( 6 times )
Terengganu ( Once )
N. Sembilan ( 4 times )
Malacca ( 3 times)
Singapore ( Twice )
Air India ( Once )
National Juniors ( Once )
Johor ( 3 times)

PDRM owe their elevation to the Hockey hierarchy thanks to their approach of providing employment to good hockey players.

This was started three years ago and they have in their ranks Jivan Mohan Kevinder Singh, Baljit Singh, Megat Azrafiq Megat Termizi and last month Mohd Razie Rahim and Nabil Fiqri Mohd Noor.

This practice has bore fruit barely three years later and it started reaping benefits when PDRM won the division two title last year.

Budding national juniors and even current national players should seriously consider a career with PDRM as there is life after Hockey for them besides being able to continue serving the country both on and off the pitch.

The very fact that the IGP Tan Sti Khalid and the Director of Management  Dato Sri  Zulkifli Abdullah plus Tuan Zahari Mohd Yusof the Commanding Officer of Pulaool value and support sportsman shows that PDRM could well be the nursery of talented Malaysian sportsmen.

Coming back to the final, Nabil Fiqrii needs not look further for inspiration to win the title then his Father Mohd Nor Hussein who won it for Armed Forces.

The PDRM team is coached by former Armed Forces personnel Gurmit Singh who is also a qualified fitness instructor.

If given time the coach could shape up sone of the overweight players to mount a serious challenge should they participate in the Division One of the MHL this August.

One should also give credit to Terengganu for nurturing 13 youngsters who will play in the Malaysian Games in July.

Coach Sarjit Singh always knows how the get the best out of youngsters and has shown his ability yet again.

Neither team can claim to have won the title when the dust settles for the true winner is Malaysian Hockey as if only Armed Forces and other government agencies and banks start giving hockey players a career, the sport will once again rise from the ashes.