Malaysian hockey coach Tai Beng Hai believes that their recent triumph at the World Hockey League was a clear indication that the state of hockey within the country is not far behind major powerhouses in the sport.
They netted a total of 48 goals in games to clinch the title, besides also securing their biggest victory in a match since 1993, when they trounced Singapore 16-1 in the group stages.
The victory also ensured that Malaysia booked their spot in the World Hockey League semi finals that will take place later this year and their world rankings also improved as they were bumped up to 12th spot on the table.
“This should be a very good message to the public and a reminder to fans that we are not very far behind the best; we are able to compete,” Beng Hai told FourthOfficial.com
“People used to say that we were not as good.”
He then went on to sing praises of his players, claiming that their own determination and desire was extremely pivotal in them being able to stay consistent and run rampant throughout the tournament.
“The players’ determination and desire was a major reason as to why we had a good run in the World Hockey League.
“Some teams were merely decent and the competitiveness was not as good, but at least 4-5 teams were capable of doing really well. Either way, I really hope this win will give the players a better footing and more confidence to step into the semi finals in Belgium,” he added.
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