Mohd Hafizuddin Othman: Malaysia's future!

As has been reported, Malaysia is looking to its future to step up to being the present force in goal. And Mohd Othman is key to Malaysia's future because of the vulnerable age of the country's current crop of goalkeepers. Impressing in training with the senior side having competed in the Junior World Cup a few months ago, he has gotten his chance at the Azlan Shah trophy tournament and potentially in the next lot of international series coming up because of his ability. Hafizuddin was named as the only goalkeeper (a trend for the Olympics rather than anything else with a goalkeeper taking up a spare space in the squad list, on the bench and in the accommodation) for the tour to Perth, clearly proving himself to coaching stuff.

It's not often you see this happen hockey, even if Simone Scuffet has seemingly almost guaranteed his place as third choice for the Italian squad for the Rio World Cup, so it's worth keeping tabs on his future! You can read more about Malaysian reports' viewpoints following the links below:

http://www.veooz.com/news/pG_wZh~.html

http://www.thestar.com.my/Sport/Hockey/2013/11/27/Junior-hockey-keeper-to-be-decided-at-11th-hour.aspx/

http://www.thestar.com.my/Sport/Hockey/2014/02/11/Hafizuddin-the-sole-goalkeeper-named-for-Perth-tour/

Malaysia's junior goalkeepers get the call up at Azlan Shah

With both of their regular goalkeepers out injured and therefore unable to be called upon for recent international fixtures, Malaysian coaching staff had to resort to getting their youngsters to fill in between the posts, for the recent Azlan Shah tournament. With their incumbent starter getting on in years, there would be coming a day when they needed to 'break in' the next generation of goalkeeping talent to fill his void. But the future has become the now.

Not exactly something you would see happen elsewhere; in the sense that there would be a middle between experienced internationals to upcoming goalkeepers with good experience, right age and capable of making the step to international level to the junior ranks. And whilst it is a great experience for the goalies in question, puts a lot of pressure and could cause negative impact burning out a goalkeeper not yet ready for the level and its requirements.

You can read more about the move and see the goalies in action, following the links below:

http://www.nst.com.my/sports/other/hockey-dharmaraj-s-attacking-philosophy-1.530790

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L66xK13tU-U

Diletti's foundation work built on by Malaysia

Damon Diletti was one of the first goalie coaches (essentially!) to come from overseas to offer some advice and impart some goalie wisdom on assisting Malaysia's top level goalkeepers a while back now. And helping setting up the foundations for the national system to work upon, there has been improvement over the course of time. Bringing in Simon Mason for coaching camps and courses with select goalkeepers for long term potential and with well renowned and respected goalie coach Martin Drijver also coming back to the home of hockey in the island in the Eastern Asian continent, over time, Malaysia should be well on its well to building and progressing to have their own goalie coaching system to produce the best out of their available talent base. Already well known for having talents like Sumar as the backstop to their international success and rebounding from learning curves, Malaysia are in a good position to push on and challenge globally once more.

http://www.thestar.com.my/Story/?file=%2F2006%2F2%2F1%2Fsports%2F13269563&sec=sports