K. ARUMUGAM & ERROL D’CRUZ

As a cub, he showed signs that would one day make him a Speedy Tiger. Selvaraju Sandrakasi kept the promise. Voted “Most Talented Player” in the U-19 Malaysian League, he made the junior national side and eventually became a full international, representing his country with aplomb.

Sandarakasi Selvaraju, Malaysia’s ever-green star hockey player

Skillful he was, but the former attacking midfielder knew that skill without science won’t get one far in modern sport. So Selvaraju was always alive to modern trends and has imbibed the nuances, grasped technicalities, and brought them to bear on the pitch and from the dugout as player and coach.

His progressive methods and prescriptions are indicative of his expansive journey across 35 countries, as a player and coach, but the 39-year-old pines to fill a lacuna in his impressive CV – that of coaching in India, to him the Mother of Asian hockey and the spiritual home of the sport.

“I think it’s high time I bid for a coaching position in India, which I think is every coach’s dream,” he says from Kuala Lumpur where he is head coach of Hockacademy linked to UniKL, an outfit that has won four titles in Malaysia’s top league.

Selvaraju has had several coaching stints in Asia and Europe and holds Level 1 and 2 coaching certificates from Malaysia, as well as a Level 3 certificate from Italy. He also spent time in Jakarta, Indonesia, returning home to lend tutelage to Hockademy in Kuala Lumpur.

“I train the under-12s who aspire to win scholarships to Japanese universities in Haneo City and Miyoshi City via a cultural and student exchange tie-up through hockey,” he reveals.

An impeccable play-maker Selvaraj

Selvaraju took to hockey at six years of age. He first represented Sapura at as a 17-year-old and his consummate skills put him in the reckoning for national selection. Breaking into the national junior team in 2005, Selvaraju was in the squad at the 2005 Junior World Cup in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, and in time was knocking on the doors of the full international team.

He didn’t have long to wait and earned his full international cap the following year and joined the ranks of the Speedy Tigers — the nickname of the Malaysian men’s national team. When he called it a day, he was the proud owner of over 100.

Much as national selection brought unbridled joy, Selvaraju cites his most memorable moment as a player: “Being adjudged the ‘most skillful player’ as a U-19 and receiving the national award from the Sultan in Perak, that’s something I cherish most of all,” he reveals.

The most agonizing moment? “Having a goal I scored disallowed against Argentina in the 2005 Junior World Cup which sealed our fate,” he ruefully recollected. Selvaraju, as his name suggests, is of Indian descent, but was born in Taiping, Perak, Malaysia.

“My grandfather was born in India and migrated to Malaysia,” he reveals. Selvaraju is married to Pushppa Devi Paramasewa, a former national squash player and now head coach of PUMPA Squash Academy. The couple have two daughters Shweta (6) and Aishwarrya (4).

Team mate Mattio rushes to congratulate as Selvaraj strikes for his Armsicora HC, Italy

After retiring as a player, Selvaraju focussed on coaching. As a player, he displayed sublime skills in Germany, France, Italy, New Zealand, and Australia where he broadened his perception of the sport after honing his skills at Sapura, UniKL, and TNB at home.

“I got to realize how clinical the Europeans are in the development of hockey. Their various age group competitions help hone youngsters’ skills from a tender age. When they move towards national and international training, they are well-attuned to tactics and strategies. “It also then dawned on me how and why top Western teams were able to turn the tide in matches against, even late in the game. This is where they hold the aces against Malaysia teams in international tournaments,” Selvaraju reasons.

Selvaraju has experienced the rough-and-tumble of international hockey having lived through the cauldron of the Champions Trophy, Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, Asia Cup, and the Commonwealth Games after first shooting into the spotlight at the 2005 Junior World Cup. He has often moved to the indoor version of the sport and has donned his country’s colours at the Asian Cup.

One of the many foreign teams that Selvaraj trained in his illustrious coaching stints

His tone, track record and aspirations suggest that Selvaraju has a penchant for youth development and that he intends to give back to the sport as he traversed the hockey world.

“There were challenges, of course, and language was the most common one,” says Selvaraju. “Working in Italy, for instance, needed patience, and an interpreter was always at hand in an attempt to get the message across,” he recalls.

Selvaraju’s best coaching moment occurred from surpassing the challenge of language. “I coached the Thailand women’s team to a bronze medal in an Asian indoor event in Qatar in 2015 and that was most satisfying.”

After a stint with Racing Club de France, club president and umpiring icon Louis Gillet recognized his “intelligence and integration on and off the field” and made a special mention of Selvaraju’s efforts to develop hockey among children.

Robin Rosch, FIH High Performance coach, similarly appreciated Selvarju’s value to HTC Gladbacher whom he assisted in the top tier of the Bundesliga where the club maintained a top-four finish. Once again, the Malaysian’s efforts to support youth hockey drew praise, this time from German peers.

Italian hockey has embraced Selvarju as part of the family as well. Pistoia club gained from the skilful player’s presence a decade ago and it jumped to the opportunity of having him return as player/coach four years later. Selvaraju has had a fulfilling coaching career thus far going by fond accounts. His focus on developing strategic acumen held DKI Jakarta in good stead as it did Pistoia in Italy and presented Selvaraju as a modular coach, combining skill with hard-core analysis in keeping with modern methods and prescriptions.

One of the many foreign Club teams that Selvaraj played

His involvement with the very young drew him to Melbourne, Australia, where in 2017 he worked with the U-12. Hockademy in Kuala Lumpur is where Selvarju has dropped anchor since 2020 but he hasn’t lost the irresistible urge to travel and propagate the language of hockey.

Apart from valuable hockey learnings, Selvarju says his stay in Europe provided pertinent lessons in life.
“Dignity of labour is profound there. I’ve seen a team manager, a judge by profession, clear garbage at clubs in a voluntary effort!

That humble soul that Selvaraju refers to is Jurgen, the father of celebrated German international Martin Haner (who sadly passed away a few days ago). “He is one of the top judges in Berlin but remains a very humble person. He does all kinds of work, including cleaning and maintenance. Something of which I don’t see in Malaysia. “As for Martin, he is an Olympic gold medalist and World champion. He is also a doctor and a very dedicated hockey player. “Players give back to the sport very emphatically there. And the establishment treats people involved in the sport with respect,” Selvaraju says. “It’s all about moral values,” he adds. “It’s about caring for the youth and making sacrifices for their beloved sport.”

Teaming with and working with players and people from wide-ranging cultural backgrounds and in the hockey context, different styles of play, has enriched Selvaraju’s perception of the world.
The genial Malaysian has brought back to his country all the learning from his professional sojourns. He is concerned about Malaysia’s perceived under-achievement despite talent aplenty and support, even royal patronage for the sport but still holds hopes of a quantum leap for hockey in the country.
“From my point of view, Malaysia can be an excellent team if all players are given the opportunity to play in overseas leagues based on their level.

“There were many top coaches (including the iconic Australian Terry Walsh) who came to coach the Malaysian team; however, there were no excellent results produced by them,” he laments.

Does Selvaraju have aspirations to coach Malaysia? “Yes, if I’m given the opportunity. However, my dream is to coach the Indian team,” he declares as he returns to his top priority. The longing for such an assignment has perhaps been brought to the forefront of Selvaraju’s mind by reports about the Hockey India League being revived.

“A good league influences a nation’s progress in the international arena. And, as I said, India’s presence is very important for Asian hockey’s survival down the ages. I can’t rest easy until I contribute in some way to hockey in India.”

SANDRAKASI SELVARAJU’s  FACTFILE
COACHING
DKI JAKARTA, Indonesia: Head Coach (Sept 2022-Aug 2023)
PISTOIA, ITALY: Head Coach (Jan 2015-Dec 2020).
HOCKADEMY KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA: Head Coach (Jan 2020-present)
THAILAND (women): Head Coach (2017)
VICTORIA HOCKEY (U-12), MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA: Head Coach (2017)
HONG KONG LEAGUE: Coach (2016)
FRANCE (women’s national team): Head Coach (2010)
ASIAN ALL STAR (Malaysia-Pakistan): Head Coach (2015)
UNIKL (Jr league) Malaysia: Coach (2010)
ZEHLENDORF WESPEN (U-15), Germany: Head Coach (2011)
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR (Malaysian Indian Congress): Head Coach
2020 INVITATIONAL TOURNAMENT, Manhiem, Germany: Head Coach (2017)
RAZAK CUP, MALAYSIA: Coach
2002 KUALA LUMPUR 4 TH DIVISION
2018 (U-12 & 14), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: Tournament director

PLAYING EXPERIENCE
Moenchengladbach HC Germany (2015-2020)
Berliner HC Germany (2004-2020)
Zehlendorf Wespen HC, Germany (2017)
Racing de France HC (2016)
Midlands HC, New Zealand (2013)
Singh Sabha HC, Hong Kong (2012)
Air force HC, Thailand (2010)
Pistoia HC Italy (2009); Armisicora HC, Italy (2007-2008)
Dandenong HC, Australia (2018)
Sapura Malaysia (2000)
TNB Malaysia (2003)
UniKL, Malaysia (2009-2023)

INTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENTS

Commonwealth Games, Glasgow, Scotland (2014)
Asia Cup (2009, 2007)
Sultan Azlan Shah Cup (2007, 2008, 2009)
Champions Trophy (2007)
Junior World Cup (2007)

INVITATION TOURNAMENTS

6-Nation Cup, Perth; Australia (2014);
Hamburg Masters, Germany (2007, 2009);
8-Nation Cup, Malaysia (2006);
Invitation Tournament, Poland (2004)

INDOOR INTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENTS: Pistoia, Italy; Asian Cup, Ipoh

INDOOR LOCAL TOURNAMENTS: Kuala Lumpur