Sarjit Singh not solely to blame for Speedy Tigers' Nations Cup failure
MALAYSIAN Hockey Confederation (MHC) president Datuk Seri Subahan Kamal has dismissed calls to pin the blame solely on head coach Sarjit Singh after the national men's hockey team failed to reach the semi-finals of the FIH 2025 Nations Cup Hockey Tournament.
Subahan stressed that responsibility should be shared across the entire squad, including players, following their inability to progress beyond the group stage.
The Speedy Tigers finished outside the top five after a 1-2 defeat to Wales in the fifth-place playoff.
'To be honest, I have been in this sport for a long time and I see that the Malaysian team under Sarjit can play.
'They can compete with any of the world's giants,' Subahan said during a press conference today.
He pointed to recurring issues, particularly the team's struggle to maintain leads. 'The problem is still the same, the problem of holding the lead.
'For example, when we played against New Zealand, we were leading 3-0 but lost 3-4. If we didn't know how to play, we would have lost 0-6.'
Despite the disappointment, Subahan acknowledged the team's fighting spirit under Sarjit's leadership.
MHC will now focus on addressing weaknesses to ensure better performances in future tournaments.
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