The Star Online: Sports
The Star Online: Sports |
- Nicol and Jonathan Power to lead ambassador programme in Latvia
- Kim Swee looking for consistency from National Under-23 squad
- Devan tinkering around to give Selangor more bite up front
| Nicol and Jonathan Power to lead ambassador programme in Latvia Posted: 18 Aug 2011 06:21 PM PDT KUALA LUMPUR: Five-time world champion Nicol David and former world champion Jonathan Power, two of the greatest names in world squash, will lead the inaugural World Squash Federation (WSF) Ambassador Programme in Latvia in November. Nicol, who has been the world No. 1 player since August, 2006 and Jonathan will visit the Latvian capital from Nov 25-27. The duo will be joined by a coaching guru and a refereeing instructor to highlight the appeal of squash to the public and the media. While the players will integrate with the local squash community and media, referees and coaches from Latvia and neighbouring countries will be invited to attend workshops that will enable them to take home a reach seam of information and techniques. Nicol is arguably Malaysia's most successful sports star of all-time, winning a record eighth National Sportswoman of the Year award this year. Nicol, who will turn 28 on Aug 26 has won the Asian women's squash title unopposed since 1998 – when aged just 14. She has won 54 Women's International Squash Players Association (Wispa) title since turning pro in 2000, including a record-equalling fifth World Open crown last September. Nicol will be gunning for a record sixth world title in Rotterdam from Oct 28 to Nov 6. Nicol, who won the Australian Open title in Canberra last Sunday, said that she is happy to be picked as one of two WSF Ambassador Programme to Latvia in November. Canadian Power, who became the first North American world number one in 1999, retired from the PSA World Tour in March 2006 after a glittering career which included 37 titles, including the World Open, the British Open and four Tournament of Champions' crowns. One of the most creative players of all-time, Power was still able to win his seventh Canadian national title two years after his retirement. The 37-year-old is now a much-sought-after coach in Toronto where, amongst others, he has taken Pakistani prodigy Maria Toor Pakay under his wing. "We couldn't wish for two more appropriate ambassadors for our sport to help spread the word in Latvia and beyond, and we are thrilled that Nicol and Jonathon have been able to find time in their busy schedules to join us in Riga," said WSF CEO Andrew Shelley. The venue in Riga will be the Zelta Bowling and Squash Centre, an imposing squash facility featuring eight courts and many other sporting and leisure options. Full Feed Generated by Get Full RSS, sponsored by Used Car Search. |
| Kim Swee looking for consistency from National Under-23 squad Posted: 18 Aug 2011 06:21 PM PDT PETALING JAYA: National Under-23 coach Ong Kim Swee wants his players to be consistent in their training-cum-playing stint in Slovakia. Kim Swee's boys beat MFK Dolny Kubin 2-0 on Tuesday to bounce back from their first defeat in the playing stint to Hungarian Division One outfit Honved Budapest 1-4 in Budapest on Aug 9. Winger Wan Zack Haikal Wan Noor was on target in the ninth minute from a freekick to take his goal tally in the tour to three. Striker Ahmad Hazwan Bakri scored in the 37th minute to notch his second goal in Slovakia. "It was a good disciplined display from the players but we need to maintain our consistency with two more matches remaining," said Kim Swee in a telephone interview from Vion, Slovakia. "The team struggled in the first half to adapt to the tempo of the match but the first goal gave confidence to the players and they played much better after that. "We were under pressure in the second half as our opponents pressed forward but the defence rose to the occasion and managed to finish the match with a clean-sheet." Kim Swee also praised the midfield combination of K. Gurusamy and Abdul Shukur Jusoh. The team was without Guru's usual midfield partner Gary Steven Robbat who picked up a groin injury in the match against Topvar Topolcany on July 30. "Guru and Shukur combined well in midfield. Their understanding and movement played a big role in the win," said Kim Swee. Earlier, the Under-23 team beat three club sides Bodva Moldava (1-0), MFK Topvar Topolcany (2-1) and Liptovsky Mikulas (2-1) before the loss to Honved. The team will play two more friendlies against Slovakian club sides FC Nitra (Aug 23) and FC Levice (Aug 26). The Slovakia stint is being used to prepare Kim Swee's boys for the final round of the Asian Zone Olympic qualifiers next month. Malaysia will start their qualifying campaign against Japan on Sept 21 followed by two home matches against Syria (Nov 23) and Bahrain (Nov 27). Full Feed Generated by Get Full RSS, sponsored by Used Car Search. |
| Devan tinkering around to give Selangor more bite up front Posted: 18 Aug 2011 06:21 PM PDT PETALING JAYA: The Malaysia Cup competition kicks off in less than 20 days but Selangor are still tinkering with their line-up. Selangor coach K. Devan is racing against time to come up with a winning combination in attack to make a serious claim for the coveted trophy which the Red Giants last won in 2005. "We need a fresh breath in our forward line and especially players with paces such as Mohd Amirulhadi Zainal and Azidan Saruddin," said Devan after watching his boys go down to Kelantan 0-1 in a friendly game played at the Shah Alam Stadium on Wednesday. He said that he would be experimenting with the two national midfielders in the forward position to inject more bite up front. Devan looked frustrated with his boys' poor finishing against Kelantan despite having had good possession in the opponents' box. "I have no other options but to experiment with a new combination of players up front because we will be fully tested when the going gets tough in the knock-out stages," said Devan. Selangor have been far from impressive this season and are now left with a serious problem in attack following the departure of national striker Mohd Safee Sali to Indonesian club Pelita Jaya FC in February. Skipper Mohd Amri Yahyah, Rudie Ramli, Mohd Fadzli Saari and R. Sreetharan are the other forwards in the squad. Devan started off with a bang in his debut season with Selangor by winning the treble – Charity Shield, FA Cup and Super League titles – in 2009. The following year, Selangor managed to retain the Charity Shield and the Super League crown but their fortune seems to have deserted them this year as they have nothing to show in the trophy cabinet so far. "Defensively we are getting stronger with the return of Mohd Nasriq Baharom from injury. He has combined well with Yosri Derma Raju in the centreback position while P. Gunalan and Mohd Asraruddin Putra Omar are quite stable in the right and left back positions respectively. "All we need is that extra push in the forward line. I am sure the boys don't want to repeat the same mistakes in the Malaysia Cup in the last two seasons when we were eliminated in the knock-out stages," said Devan, who is optimistic they have a fighting chance to bid for their record 33rd Malaysia Cup title this year. Selangor are drawn in Group D with Kuala Lumpur, T-Team and Police. In four warm-up matches played thus far, Selangor drew with Felda United (0-0), beat Armed Forces (1-0), beat Malaysia (1-0) and lost to defending Malaysia Cup champions Kelantan (0-1). Full Feed Generated by Get Full RSS, sponsored by Used Car Search. |
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