JOHOR BAHRU: Tit Bits here and there

This happened in Australia. Wherever you go, the moment somebody comes to know that am from India the first question will be on World Series Hockey. No difference in Johor Bahru either. Everyone wants an update on that. On official informs Australian official Peter Cohen, till recently Secretary General of the Federation Internationale de Hockey (FIH), is going to be appointed Chief Executive Officer of WSH, if not already done. That will be big blow for the FIH which refuses to accept an entity called WSH in the first place.

All teams are put up in Puteri Pacific hotel, located on the uphill side of Johor Bahru. Unlike other times the teams used to stay in New York Hotel, Puteri is in the main town. It is going to take almost 45 minutes drive to stadium. An official said: If we are provided with pilot, travel time will be half, otherwise it will be double”.

The organizers gave a welcome dinner at pool side on Saturday. Indian team quickly and had quicker dinner and left.

Media officer in the Office Secretariat says he had problem with India. He told that Indian coach Mukesh Kumar refused to talk to him telling he is forbidden by Hockey India from talking to media before the tournament starts. It looked to me funny. Is there any gag order? I don’t care. But its bad in taste, a coach of the junior team on an invitational tournament is doing like this. Further, everyone here knows Mukesh, as he has played them here in his hey days.

Indian team had almost six vegetarians, they had a problem in the official hotel where mostly non-vegetarian food is served. Manager Niranjan Reddy seemed to have advised them to go a nearby Punjabi hotel and savour their taste. Of course this is the magnanimity from the management side.

As usual, the organizers have brought out an Official Souvenir Program where the new Cup dazzles on the cover. The Souvenir says: ‘MHF will be dissolved on 31.1.2011 and thereafter the MHF Committee will be incorporated into MHC and MHC shall be the sole governing body for men and women’s hockey in Malaysia’. It’s a footnote after giving all office bearer’s name of MHF.

Seung Song Tae, the tall Korean, used to haunt India in the mid 90s. He had often been top scorer of many tournaments. He is now chief coach of Korea, he must be happy to see his wards scoring six goals in the second half in India. In the post-match press conference, he tried his best to convey, but English was letting him down.

Australia and Malaysia lined up for their respective national anthem. First it took time for the anthem to be played on the public address system. The long wait was then over. Then came the strange scene. Both teams faced gallery when first Australian anthem was played. When the turn for Malaysian came, the whole team turned opposite side, perhaps to face the flags, leaving each team in different direction!
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