Race against time for Arul and UniKL
July 27, 2016Thunderbolt let slip lead to force draw
August 5, 2016Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) is ready to throw in a serious challenge for the TNB Malaysian Hockey League 2016 title with homegrown talent.
Widely known for developing and nurturing young players under their Thunderbolt Programme, TNB will be the only outfit in the six-team Premier League without foreign players in its ranks.
Since the MHL’s inception in 1987, TNB has won the Premier League title five times and TNB Cup seven times, the last being in 2009-10 season. And all those victories came through their breed of local players.
Double champions Terengganu Hockey Team (THT), Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club (KLHC), Maybank, Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) and Sapura have all engaged the services of several foreign players in the Premier League.
TNB’s Chief Corporate Officer, Datuk Wira Roslan Ab Rahman said: “Although there were proposals brought to our attention for TNB to sign foreign players, it has been our long standing policy to support and develop local talent and we have the fullest confidence in our own players to perform at the highest level throughout the season.”
He added that TNB’s development efforts such as the Thunderbolt Programme and Youth Hockey clinics have unearthed some of the nation’s most talented hockey players with a promotion system in place.
Those who perform are absorbed into the senior team. TNB’s main objective and policy at the moment is the development of local players who will later on play for the national team.
The team will be led by veteran international goalkeeper S. Kumar and includes experience players in the form of Shahril Saabah, former national junior team captain Najib Hassan who was promoted to the senior team recently, Ramadan Rosli, Azril Misron and Nik Muhamad Aiman Nik Rozemi to name a few.
Former international Mohamed Amin Rahim has been appointed head coach of TNB and is assisted by M. Kaliswaran.
They kick-off the new Premier League season with an opening match against Maybank on 19 August at the KLHA Stadium.
TNB Squad list for TNBMHL 2016
Goalkeepers: S. Kumar, Mohd Fairus Wanazir.
Defenders: Syed Mohamad Syed Cholan, Muhammad Najib Hassan, Muhammad Fariq Saadon, Shazril Irwan Nazli, Muhd Amirol Aideed,
Midfielders: Muhammad Firdaus Omar, Luqman Nul Hakim Ahmad Shukran, Norhizzat Sumantri, Nik Muhamad Aiman Nik Rozemi, Muhammad Azammi Adabi, Muhamad Ramadan Rosli
Forwards: Amir Farid Ahmad Fuzi, Azril Misron, Muhd. Hafiizhuddin Zaidi, Arif Sabron, Muhammad Shahril Saabah, Muhammad Husaini Mohd Husin
Manager: Datuk IR. Mohd Aminuddin Mohd Amin
Assistant Manager: Adam Izamry Idrus
Coach: Muhamad Amin Rahim
Assistant coach: M. Kaliswaran
