Kana does his bit (The Malay Mail)

ANYONE passing Jalan Cheras opposite the JKR fields will not miss
Kanagarajah holding court every Saturday and Sunday between 4pm and 7pm.
   And both the KL and Selangor FAs have K.Kanagaraja to thank if they
get a steady stream of junior players from Cheras with polished skill and
technique.
   The 33-year-old former Selangor winger is doing what many former
State and internationals are not - coaching schoolchildren and for free.
   Four months ago, Kanagaraja, who hails from Cheras, decided to hold
coaching clinics for children staying around the 3rd mile at the JKR field
on weekends.
   From between 15 to 30 children, the groups has swelled to about 150
kids in just four months.
   "I didn't have the heart to turn anyone away, especially when they
came prepared with their gear and jerseys," said Kanagaraja.
   It is difficult coaching 150 kids at a time, but he copes, with
assistance from friends in the Pemuda Cheras team."
   Kanagaraja also coaches Pemuda Cheras who are in the Selangor Div 2.
   Last month he attended an eight-day preliminary coaching course
conducted by FAS/FAM and headed by N. Raju.
   "Coming from the same neighbourhood. I knew what a tough place it is
to grow up here. Without proper guidance, many children have gone the
wrong path and ruined their lives.
   "I wanted to do my bit to help them indulge in something healthy and
beneficial," said Kanagaraja. "The children of Cheras were keen on
playing soccer but had little or no guidance.
   "This was my chance to impart whatever I had learnt while playing for
Selangor for eight years," added Kanagaraja who lost played for the State
in 1985.
   News of the weekend clinics spread. Soon he had children from
Cochrane, Kampong Pandan, Jalan Shaw, San Peng, Bandar Tun Razak, Sungei
Besi and Jalan Peel.
   The kids' ages range from seven to 18. Many are eager to learn the
game and play better, but there are a good number who are talented and
will make good footballers.
   Kanagaraja divides the kids into several groups according to their
ages and skills. The older boys are made group leaders and carry on the
sessions while he attends to other groups.
   Kanagarajah is doing this for the love of the game and as his
contribution to the youth in the area.
   Kanagaraja may not have played for the nation, but he has earned the
respect of his charges. They affectionally call him `Abang' and give 100
percent attention.
   Kanagaraja could do with some assistance, in the form of more balls,
some cones and T-shirts. Presently, he only has 10 balls to work with.
   Eight are from his club Pemuda Cheras and two donated by well-wishers
Perumal and Periasamy of Cheras.
   FAS vice-president R. Ramalingam, who has heard of Kanagaraja's
efforts, has already asked him to collect five training balls from their
office.
   But more can be done to help Kanagaraja, so that the children who
turn up faithfully every weekend will realise their dreams of being a top
footballer one day.
                            (END)

Kana does his bit (The Malay Mail)

ANYONE passing Jalan Cheras opposite the JKR fields will not miss
Kanagarajah holding court every Saturday and Sunday between 4pm and 7pm.
  And both the KL and Selangor FAs have K.Kanagaraja to thank if they
get a steady stream of junior players from Cheras with polished skill and
technique.
  The 33-year-old former Selangor winger is doing what many former
State and internationals are not - coaching schoolchildren and for free.
  Four months ago, Kanagaraja, who hails from Cheras, decided to hold
coaching clinics for children staying around the 3rd mile at the JKR field
on weekends.
  From between 15 to 30 children, the groups has swelled to about 150
kids in just four months.
  "I didn't have the heart to turn anyone away, especially when they
came prepared with their gear and jerseys," said Kanagaraja.
  It is difficult coaching 150 kids at a time, but he copes, with
assistance from friends in the Pemuda Cheras team."
  Kanagaraja also coaches Pemuda Cheras who are in the Selangor Div 2.
  Last month he attended an eight-day preliminary coaching course
conducted by FAS/FAM and headed by N. Raju.
  "Coming from the same neighborhood. I knew what a tough place it is
to grow up here. Without proper guidance, many children have gone the
wrong path and ruined their lives.
  "I wanted to do my bit to help them indulge in something healthy and
beneficial," said Kanagaraja. "The children of Cheras were keen on
playing soccer but had little or no guidance.
  "This was my chance to impart whatever I had learnt while playing for
Selangor for eight years," added Kanagaraja who last played for the State
in 1985.
  News of the weekend clinics spread. Soon he had children from
Cochrane, Kampong Pandan, Jalan Shaw, San Peng, Bandar Tun Razak, Sungei
Besi and Jalan Peel.
  The kids' ages range from seven to 18. Many are eager to learn the
game and play better, but there are a good number who are talented and
will make good footballers.
  Kanagaraja divides the kids into several groups according to their
ages and skills. The older boys are made group leaders and carry on the
sessions while he attends to other groups.
  Kanagaraja is doing this for the love of the game and as his
contribution to the youth in the area.
  Kanagaraja may not have played for the nation, but he has earned the
respect of his charges. They affectionately call him `Abang' and give 100
percent attention.
  Kanagaraja could do with some assistance, in the form of more balls,
some cones and T-shirts. Presently, he only has 10 balls to work with.
  Eight are from his club Pemuda Cheras and two donated by well-wishers
Perumal and Periasamy of Cheras.
  FAS vice-president R. Ramalingam, who has heard of Kanagarajah's
efforts, has already asked him to collect five training balls from their
office.
  But more can be done to help Kanagaraja, so that the children who
turn up faithfully every weekend will realise their dreams of being a top
footballer one day.
                           (END)

Sharp-MM land KL jackpot at last (NST)

SHARP-MALAY MAIL tore the formbook when they edged favourites City Hall 1-0 in the KLFA Dunhill League soccer final at KLFA Stadium in Cheras yesterday. It was the first ever title for Sharp-Malay Mail, runnersup in 1988, who collected the top purse of $20,000 while City Hall settled for $15,000. Earlier, Bank Pertanian edged 1990 champions Maybank 5-4 on penalty kicks (after extra-time: 1-1) to take third placing and $5,000. Sharp-Malay Mail were also given a cash incentive by their sponsors, Sharp who awarded them $5,000. Sharp Public Relations Manager Mohamed Salleh Aziz said the cash reward was part of their appreciation of the players' hard work and sacrifices. "They really deserved it," he said. Newcomer Daniel Sinnappan, who was a menace to the City Hall defence on the left flank, scored Sharp MM's solitary goal in the 42nd minute when goalkeeper Rashid Hassan failed to field the ball cleanly in a melee. City Hall missed a penalty in the second half when striker Saidin Osman sent the spotkick wide after he was tripped in the box by Rohaiza Yusof. City charged back with a vengeance but Sharp-MM goalkeeper M. Pavalamani saved three good shots from Hashim Marman, Saidin and Tang Siew Seng in the second half. SHARP-MM...... 1 CITY HALL..... 0 (END)

Ace of clubs (The Malay Mail)

WE are the best on paper and last night we proved ourselves on the pitch.

    Sharp-Malay Mail overcame giants KL City Hall 1-0 at the KLFA stadium
in Cheras to take the KL Dunhill League soccer title for the first time.
   It was a hard earned win but a sweet one as not many had given
Sharp-MM any chance of beating City Hall, comprosing mostly of KL Semi-pro
League players.
   City Hall also defeated Sharp-MM 3-0 in the preliminary round.
   The goal that dealt the killer blow was struck by Daniel Sinnapan
moments before halftime.
   City Hall goalkeeper Rashid Hassan failed to collect an attempt by
midfielder Zulkarnain Talib and Daniel slammed in the loose ball.
   Daniel also scored both goals in Sharp-MM's 2-0 win over Bank
Pertanian in the semi-final last Friday.
   "I'm glad to have scored again. Beating a team like City Hall, who
have the services of some of the best players in the country is no easy
task," said Daniel.
   Sharp-MM started the match confidently and launched several good
moves that troubled the KL City Hall defence manned by Tang Siew Seng,
Zaid Jamil and Razif Ismail.
   Their efforts were finally rewarded with Daniel's goal to the
jubilation of the afternoon daily's supporters.
   City Hall came back with a vengeance after the break and the Sharp-MM
midfield began to crumble.

    City Hall could have found the equaliser but Saidin Osman's penalty
attempt in the 70th minute went wide, much to the relief of the Sharp-MM
players.
   Sharp-MM pocketed $20,000 for being champions while City Hall earned
$15,000. Sharp-MM were also given another $5,000 by their sponsors Sharp
for their superb effort.
            SHARP-MALAY MAIL ... 1    KL CITY HALL ... 0
                               (END)

Sharp-Malay Mail face City Hall fireworks (NST)

IT will be an explosive match when former champions City Mail meet Sharp-Malay Mail in the Kuala Lumpur FA Dunhill League soccer final at KLFA Stadium in Cheras tonight (kick-off: 7.45pm). In the semifinals, Sharp-Malay Mail dumped Bank Pertanian 2-0 while City Hall edged Maybank 1-0. City Hall, the favourites, are confident of landing the $20,000 winners' purse as they packed off Sharp-Malay Mail 3-0 in the preliminary round. However, City Hall will be cautious to avoid casualties as they are also involved in the FAM Cup final against Selangor Dunhill League champions Public Bank at Merdeka Stadium on Friday. City Hall, KLFA Dunhill League champions for five years, were dethroned by Maybank last year but have bounced back into reckoning, though Sharp-Malay Mail will not give them an easy return to the mantle. Last year, City Hall were disqualified in the staging a walkout in the semifinals against Maybank who won their first title beating Felda. City Hall will bank on veterans Mat Zan Mat Aris, S. Balachandran, Razip Ismail, Tang Siew Seng, Mohamad Zaid Jamil, Rashid Hassan, Hashim Marman and Saidin Osman. Sharp-Malay Mail have a safe pair of hands with goalkeeper M. Pavalamani, and the determination of See Kim Seng, S. Tamilarasan, R. Subramaniam and live-wire K. Kannan. Midfielder Daniel Sinnapan who scored twice against Bank Pertanian will be the player to watch again as he combines well with Kannan and veteran Subramaniam. * MAYBANK will play Bank Pertanian in a third-placing match at 4.Opm. (END)

Goalies hold the key (The Malay Mail)

TWO goalkeepers, going separate way after being team-mates the past five
seasons, hold the key to their respective clubs' success in the KLFA
Dunhill soccer final tonight (7.45pm).
    Veteran goalkeeper Rashid Hassan appears for City Hall SC and his
former Kuala Lumpur Semi-pro League teammate, M. Pavalamani, for opponents
Sharp-Malay Mail.
    KL dropped them after their poor performance last season.
    Rashid will turn out for Second Division Police for the new season
while Pavalamani will try to make Kelantan's final squad in trials this
week.
    While Pavalamani leaves for Kota Bharu tommorrow, Rashid will
continue to play for his employers City Hall as he is only on loan to
Police for the Semi-pro League.
    Rashid will also feature for City Hall in the FAM Cup final against
Selangor's Public Bank on Friday.
    The two `keepers will take centrestage tonight at the KL Stadium.
    City Hall, League champions since it was inaugurated in 1986 except
last year, are the favourites.
    The boast of Semi-pro players in Razip Ismail, Tang Siew Seng,
Mohamad Zaid Jamil, S. Balachandran, R. Subramaniam and K. Kannan.
    A.N. Chandrsegar, Rohaniza Ahmad Yusof, V. Suresh, Zulkarnian Talib
and Mohamad Omar have also been impressive.
    The champions will receive $20,000 and the runners-up, $15,000.
    The third-placing match between Maybank and Bank Pertanian is at 4pm.
                             (END)

Sharp-MM duo in lethal form (The Malay Mail)

THE deadly combination of K Kannan and newcomer Daniel Sinnapan steered Sharp-Malay Mail to a 2-0 win over Bank Pertanian in a KL Dunhill League semifinals clash at the KLFA Stadium last night. As a result, Daniel capped a good night by scoring both goals. The first was in the 12th minute when he sent in a stinging grounder after being put through by Kannan. His shot completely beat goalkeeper Muhammad Zahari Shamsuddin. In the 70th minute, Daniel rammed in the ball after Kannan sent in a delicate but perfect cross. In Monday's final, Sharp-MM will take on the winners of the Maybank-City Hall semifinal to be played tonight. Said a jubilant Daniel: "This is my first season with Sharp-MM and I am happy to have played a part in their success so far. Now we look forward to the final." The skillful Daniel, operating on the left flank, was a constant menace to the Bank Pertanian defence. The match started on a bright note for Sharp-MM when striker Saifuldin Alias' header struck the woodwork in the first minute. But after this, the fit Bank Pertanian side were dangerous with their hard-working strikers Che Nizam Mohamad Yah and Nik Ali Nik Cob trying shots at goal whenever they had the chance. The Sharp-MM detence led by See Kim Seng and S. Tamilarasan had to work overtime to stop the duo and goalkeeper M. Pavalamani was tested on several occasions. It was quite an evenly contested affair even after Daniel had taken the lead for Sharp-MM. However, Bank Pertanian's threat fixzled out after Sharp-MM scored their second goal, and they began to resort to rough play. (END)

I will show KL

GOALKEEPER M. Pavalamini is out to prove Kuala Lumpur were harsh and rash
in dumping him from their Semi-pro League squad this season.
    KL dropped all three of their goalkeepers Pavalamani, veteran Rashid
Hassan and youngster Ng Liang Yik - after their wishy-washy performance
last season.
    Rashid will turn out for Police in the Second Division this season
while Liang Yik is without a team.
    Yap Kam Choon and V. Murugan, formerly of Kelantan and Perak
respectively, have signed with KL.
    Pavalamani, 27, is going for broke with Kelantan. If he does not gain
a place he will be left without a team: The closing date for League
registration was Feb 28.
    The former national keeper attended trials with Malacca but wanted to
continue playing for a First Division team.
    Pavalamani has to contend with Wan Kamarulzaman and rookie Asri
Hussein in the Kelantan squad. There will also be competition from former
Terengganu custodian Raimi Jamil.
    Pavalamani is unperturbed by the competition. He is more than
determined to make the squad.
    "It is a make or break situation for me," he said.
    Pavalamani has been training hard with his club Sharp-Malay Mail who
face Bank Pertanian in the KL Dunhill League semifinals on Friday.
    He was supposed to play in a quadrangular tournament in Kota Baru
this weekend but Kelantan team manager Yusof Ali gave him permission to
complete his commitments with Sharp-MM first.
    "I hope to play for KL again and my only chance is to prove myself
with Kelantan. Helping Sharp-MM reach the Dunhill League final will mark
my parting with KL soccer... for a while at least," said Pavalamani.
    Despite being with KL the last four seasons, he rarely played because
of Rashid Hassan'ss presence.
    And when he did play, it was because Rashid was injured or off-form.
    "To judge me by a few matches and sometimes against tough opponents,
is unfair," said Pavalamani, who saw action only against Singapore,
Pahang, Selangor, Sarawak and Kelantan last season.
    He has put the bitter memories behind him and is out to prove he has
plenty of good goalkeeping left in him. He assures that Kelantan, at
least, will benefit if they gave him the chance.
                                  (END)

Tamil gets his break (The Malay Mail)

MALACCA have given the break former Kuala Lumpur youth defender S.
Tamilarasan has been waiting for the last five years - Semi-Pro League
action.
   The talented defender, despite doing well at youth level which
included Razak Cup victory in 1984, never made it with the senior team.
   Among the others who played with him that year and have made a name
for themselves were Subadron Aziz, M. Pavalamani, K. Gunalan (now playing
for Selangor) and Mohamad Zaid Jamil, who was only a reserve.
   But all this while, Tamilarasan, 26, had been confined to club action
with his employers, New Straits Times, playing for Sharp Malay-Mail and
also turning out for KL Indians in the Bardhan Cup and KL Malays in the
Sultan's Gold Cup.
   Apparently, coach Soh Chin Aun was impressed with Tamilarasan's good
reading of the game, strong tackles, good headers and, above all, his cool
composure under pressure.
   Level
   Tamilarasan said that although he will be playing for Malacca in the
Second Division, he is contented he has been given a chance to compete at
a higher level.
   "I am indebted to Malacca and I intend to make use of the opportunity
to establish myself," said Tamilarasan.
   "My main aim is to help Malacca finish among the top teams in the
League, and, hopefully, gain promotion to the First Divison."
   An indication of Tamilarasan's determination to help Malacca succeed
is his decision to apply for no-pay leave for the duration of the League.
- By Tony Mariadass.
                            (END)