Queen of the tracks

THE Filipinos are sure that Lydia De Vega Mercado will retain the 100m
title.
Lydia's main rival is none other than Malaysia's G. Shanti who lost to
her in the Manila Games. Shanti, however, turned the tables on the
Filipina in the 200m.
Although Lydia's father and coach, 65-year-old Franciso Tatang' de Vega
has been modest about his daughter's chances, athletics followers feel the
others are intimidated by Lydia's presence.
"Lydia has charisma. The opponents fear her," said a veteran athletics
journalist from the Philippines, E. Fernandez.
"The 200m will be an open affair. But we believe the 100m belongs to
Lydia. She will pull through the challenge from Shanti."
Ten years ago, at Singapore, Lydia was shocked by Thailand's Wallapa
Tangjinutsorn. However, at the same venue in the Asian Track and Field
championships in 1987, she triumped over India's P.T. Usha clocking
11.43s.
Naturally, Lydia is hoping to be as lucky as she was in the ATF meet
when she appears for the third time at the National Stadium.
"It is going to be keenly contested. I too want to win but a great deal
will depend on what happens on race day," said the 28-year-old athlete.
Lydia is the holder of both the 100m and 200m Sea Games record - 11.28
and 23.54 respectively - which clocked at the 1987 and 1981 Games
respectively.
At the last Games in Manila where Lydia edged Shanti, she clocked 11.44.
Her personal best for the 100m was clocked during the 1987 Sea Games in
Jakarta and is the closest an Asian woman has come to Chi Cheng's
Continental record of 11.22 recorded in Vienna in 1970.
Malaysian coach Harun Rasheed Othuman said it is going to be a touch-
and-go affair.
"It could be Lydia, Shanti or any of the other athletes because most of
them have been clocking around 10.4 recently," said Rasheed.
"Shanti has been shaping up well and a great deal will depend on what
actually happens on that day. we just hope that everything goes well for
her, like a good start."
The 26-year-old athlete has been shying away from publicity and quietly
preparing herself.
The Perak-born athlete said: "I have trained hard and am mentally
prepared, but I am sure Lydia has been training hard too. I really cannot
say anything except that the best woman will win. We will see how I
perform."
In the recent selection trials for the Sea Games last month, Shanti
clocked 11.50 erasing her previous national record of 11.51 set in 1991.
While focus is on Lydia and Shanti, Vietnam's Truong Hoang My Linh is
also secretly hoping to be the party spoiler.
The 24-year-old athlete who has been the national champion since 1985 in
both the 100m and 200m, had clocked 11.95 at the Thai Open recently to be
placed third behind Taiwan's Olympic semifinalist Wang Huei Chen and
China's Qi Hong.
The soft spoken Troung revealed that it was her dream to get the gold
medal in the sea Games. But she was quick to add: "It's my dream but I
really cannot tell what chances I have for a medal. I want to do my best,
but anything can happen. We'll have to wait and see."
The 100m semifinals is the fourth event on the first day of the
athletics programme tomorrow at 9.20am.
Shanti will be running in Lane 4 in the second semifinal together with
Mona Kunalan (Singapore), Marsita Kamel Jumat (Brunei), Rhoda Sinoro
(Philippines), Savitree Srichure (Thailand), Truang and Rita Pattepeilohy.

There's no room for Nasir (06/05/1993 - The Malay Mail)

Publication : MM
Date : 06/05/1993
Headline : There's no room for Nasir



THERE is only one way to view national coach Ken Worden's surprise
decision to recall Nasir Yusof for the Sea Games - retrogressive.
No doubt Nasir, 33, can still contribute to the national team in the
short term but we need is a concrete plan for the future.
And the building blocks for a Malaysia of the future are the up-and-
coming youngsters.
Somehow, after acknowledging the fact, soccer authorities go back to
recalling the old guard.
Nasir's experience will give Worden some option in line-up and strategy
but in the search for immediate results, the youngsters will be
sacrificed.
Strangely, Worden dismissed Nasir after trying him out in the pre-Asian
Cup last year in Singapore and noew he wants to bring him back.
Players cannot be dismissed and recalled at the whims of coaches.
There has to be firm action.
Malaysia have done well in the last 15 months with Worden in charge and
their performance in the preWorld Cup tournament must be praised.
But just when one is beginning to believe there is hope yet for
Malaysian soccer, we step back into history.
Sure our younger players lack experience but they certainly are not
going to gain any by warming the bench or by being dropped.
Worden has said for Malaysia to improve, we have to play the giants of
Asia time and again.
But if we keep bringing back the veterans each time we need to stabilise
the team, we are not going to help our game.
Disbanded
Of course, we need experienced players to guide the youngsters. For that
we have the likes of Ahmad Yusof, Azizol Abu Haniffah, Zainal Abidin
Hassan, K. Gunalan, A. Jayakanthan and Dollah Salleh.
The youngsters, especially those from the disbanded Barcelona Olympic
squad like Azman Adnan, Mubin Mokhtar, Malek Abdul Rahman and Salahuddin
Che Ros, are already making their mark.
All they needed was the opportunity to prove themselves.
While most of the other countries are depending on their younger players
to carry the challenge over a longer period, we are just looking for
short-term success.
Just look at the Saudi team. The team's average age is 23 and they are
doing well.
Of course, Worden will say that they are technically better than our
youth players.
Perhaps, it's time we paid more emphasis on developing our players to
have better technical abilities.
After all, it has been acknowledged that our youth development
programmes are bearing fruits. Let's have some faith in it.
Otherwise, time and again, we will be looking for short term success,
which is not even guaranteed.

Rajagopal's night of glory (The Malay Mail)

NATIONAL assistant coach K. Rajagopal was celebrating in his own right
amidst his players' jubilation following their 3-1 win over South Korea in
the 34th Merdeka tournament last night.
 The former national winger, who had been capped 15 times for the
country, had always dreamt of playing in the Merdeka tournament but never
got a chance to fulfil it.
 But Rajagopal finally realised that dream last night, though in a
different capacity.
 "As a national player I yearned to play in the Merdeka tournament, but
was not so lucky," said Rajagopal, who featured for Selangor from 1979 to
1984 and the national team from 1980 to 1982.
 "I came close to realising the dream in 1981 when I was part of the
national B team as we were initially supposed to be one of the
participating teams. But at the last minute, our place was taken by
another foreign team and that blew my chance.
 "When I stopped playing for the country, I thought my dream to play in
the Merdeka tournament was buried.
 "Little did I know that I will still get a chance to be part of the
Merdeka tournament - but in a different capacity.
 "Although I did not play in the Merdeka tournament, it is still a great
honour to be with the national team, and especially with the
titleholders."
 Rajagopal, 36, said he was grateful to Ken Worden for giving him the
opportunity to help out with the national team.
 He was assisting Worden when the latter was in charge of Selangor in
1991. When Worden was appointed national coach early last year, he decided
to invite Rajagopal to help him out at the national level too.
 Many may envy Rajagopal because it is not easy to be associated with the
national team, especially since he had little coaching experience.
 But Worden saw that Rajagopal had potential and decided to use him.
 Said Worden of Rajagopal: "He is a young, up-and-coming coach and I am
glad that he is my assistant.
 "We have had a great working relationship and he is certainly part of
our success tonight."
 Worden was also happy for Rajagopal in his appointment as assistant
coach of Selangor for the new season.
                              (END)

Mani says goodbye on a winning note (The Malay Mail)

SHARP-MALAY MAIL ended the season on a winning note by beating Maybank 1-0
in the Kuala Lumpur FA Presidents Cup final at KLFA Stadium yesterday,
reports Chan Wai Kong.
Maybank's downfall was caused by an own goal in the 40th minute by
defender Mohamed Riyad Sheikh Ali.
It came just after Sharp-MM had muffed their best chance of the match
when a neat 1-2 play saw striker Hasnor Khairuddin firing tamely, his shot
parried by Maybank keeper Zuhaimi Dawi.
But Sharp-MM players continued to pressure the Maybank defence, and
Riyad, in his haste, sent his clearance the wrong way, bundling the ball
into his own net.
Sharp-MM had to endure a fierce onslaught by Maybank in the closing
stages of the match but Maybank squandered five chances, including an open
goal when Riyad misfired.
Maybank did most of the attacking and looked very much in control but
Sharp-MM took their chances well.
Sharp-MM coach Tony Mariadass said: "The victory today is a consolation
for our loss of the KL Dunhill League title this year."
Last year, Sharp-MM won the Dunhill League. "This year, we still managed
to collect a trophy," he added.
Maybank coach Ujang Ibrahim said Sharp-MM goalkeeper M. Pavalamani
played a sterling role in their teams success.
"Pavalamani played a good game. He was influential in defence. We lost
(1-0) to Sharp-MM in the Dunhill League earlier and he saved two sure
goals," he added.
But Ujang said Maybank missed at least 10 chances. "In the first half,
we had at least five chances. We were confident of winning the match."
For former international Pavalamani, it was his last match for Sharp-MM
yesterday after four years. He will play for Sabah next year.
                            (END)

Mani's last hurrah (The Malay Mail)

FORMER international goalkeeper M. Pavalamani today plays his last match
for Sharp-Malay Mail in the KLFA President Cup final against Maybank at
Kuala Lumpur FA Stadium.
 Pavalamani will miss the KL League as he has signed a one-year contract
with the Sabah FA to play for their Semi-pro league team next year.
 Pavalamani, who played for KL in the 1989 Malaysia Cup, has been with
the Sharp-MM team for four years.
 He helped Sharp-MM to the KL Dunhill League title last year and to the
final of the inaugural Philippines Cup in Manila.
 Today's final between Sharp-MM and Maybank will bring the curtain down
on 1992 Kuala Lumpur soccer season.
 Though Sharp-MM edged Maybank 1-0 in the KL Dunhill League, a close
match is expected.
 The Maybank team have good training facilities at their giant sports
complex in Bangi while Sharp-MM do not have their own ground.
                               (END)

Subra takes over (The Malay Mail)

S. SUBRAMANIAM, a man who prefers to remain out of the spotlight, has been
given the job to resurrect Kuala Lumpur as a soccer power.
 Last night, the Kuala Lumpur FA management committee headed by president
Tan Sri Elyas Omar gave Subramaniam the mandate to take over as coach of
next season's Semi-Pro League team from Chow Kwai Lam.
 Although Subramaniam, who is also KLFA's Director of Coaching, would
have preferred to remain as a backroom man, he decided to accept the
challenge because of the vote of confidence from the KLFA.
 It'll be the 56-year-old's second stint as coach, having first guided KL
from 1982-84.
 He will be assisted by Lim Kim Lian.
 "I had not expected this job because for some time now, I have been
involved mainly in the development of KL soccer at youth level," said
Subramaniam, who served as technical adviser in previous seasons.
 "I am honoured by the KLFA's trust in me and on my part, I'd do my best
to revive KL's fortunes," he said.
 Subramaniam, a father of two grown up sons, earned his English FA
coaching badge as early as 1958, when he was undergoing a teachers'
training course in Kirby.
 He obtained the FA of Malaysia's advanced coaching certificate in 1971
and the Fifa coaching licence in 1972 at the Asian Coaching School.
 He has been a member of the technical study group at the 1986 World Cup
which was headed by Josef Venglos and also a member of several other
technical study groups.
 Subramaniam said he has discussed with KLFA plans for the new season and
will be preparing the team accordingly.
 "My original plan was to groom the KL back-up squad to become the a
fully-fledged Semi-Pro League team by 1994. But it looks like we'd have to
set an earlier target because of several factors."
 Among them are the fact several senior players have either announced
their decision to quit or have been plagued by injuries.
 There is also the factor of players having lost their form.
 "We'd calling all players from the present squad to attend training
together with the back-up and Razak Cup squads," he said.
 "We will then select the best team from this pool. But it'd definitely
be a blend of experience and youth. 1993 will be a transition period for
KL."
 Subramaniam said his philosophy in coaching is to ensure that the
players are happy in training.
 "Right now, I really don't have an idea of the composition of the team
because several key players will not be around while some are doubtful."
 Among those missing will be foreign players Seslija Milomir and Anto
Grabo, whose contracts have not been renewed.
 Zoran Nikolic's contract, however, has been extended for another season.
 Veteran Mat Zan Mat Aris has retired from the game while Tang Siew Seng
is still injured.
 Defenders See Kim Seng and Chow Siew Yai will meeting the management
committee before their fate with KL is decided.
                               (END)

Sweet success (The Malay Mail)

PAHANG had to wait nine years to taste sweet success but it was certainly
worth it as the celebrations went on into the wee hours of the morning,
moving into the State districts and expected to go on for a while.
It was a night of celebration for the Sultan and Sultanah of Pahang, the
Tengku Mahkota and the fans, men and women, aged and young, and even the
disabled.
Adults weeped freely in joy while the young had a merry time. Women and
girls screamed, while children who were too young to know what was
happening seemed to be wallowing in all the celebrations.
Even the Sultan and Tengku Mahkota could not hide their joy as they went
down to the Merdeka Stadium tracks to meet the fans and thank them
personally.
As the 40,000-odd fans watched at the stadium, millions saw the match
`live' on TV, which was the climax of Malaysian soccer for 1992.
Thousands of fans failed to get tickets while the adventurous decided to
watch it on the big screen at the Dataran Merdeka.
Fans from both Kedah and Pahang had begun streaming in during the wee
hours of Saturday morning in buses, vans, cars, trains and even on
bicycles.
The stadium was a sea of colour and was packed to the brim in shortly
after the gates were opened at 5pm.
The Kedah fans packed the left side of the stadium to give it hues of
green and yellow while the right side was painted in white and black or
the Pahang's team colours of yellow and black.
Fans had their faces painted too.
For the Pahang fans, it was something they had not experienced for the
past eight years - Pahang last qualified for the Malaysia Cup final in
1984 where they lost to Selangor. The year before, Pahang had won the
title.
As for Kedah, coming to the Merdeka Stadium seemed like an annual
pilgrimage.
After all, they were in their fifth final in six years. And it might
have been even sweeter to return home on Sunday morning with the Cup,
after having faced the humiliation of being demoted to the Second Division
last year following their Malaysia Cup, on their fourth attempt, in 1990.
But everyone was there to have a good time and due credit must be given
to the fans for making it an incident-free affair with true sportsmanship
shown.
The Pahang fans, of course, were partying all night long. Even after the
final whistle had gone, the fans were still in the stadium savouring the
moments.
The Pahang team arrived at their hotel, The Regent, a little past
midnight to the resident bands tune of Congratulations.
The next morning, the Pahang players left by bus for Bentong - their
first stop to show off the Malaysia Cup.
Then it was to Mentakab before proceeding to Jerantut for a tea
reception at the Jerantut District Council Padang, which had earlier been
scheduled to celebrate the Sultan of Pahang's 62nd birthday a fortnight
ago.
The celebrations are not expected to stop and will culminate with the
Malam Juara (Champions' Night) on Nov 22 at the Istana Hotel in Kuala
Lumpur.
It is here that the rewards are expected to be officially announced.
The Champions' Night, besides honouring Pahangs almost clean sweep this
season (Charity Shield, League Cup, Fairplay Trophy, Golden Boot Award,
Malaysia Cup Final Man-of-the-Match award and the Malaysia Cup), is also
to raise funds to settle Pahang FAs oustanding balance for their building.
It is learnt that $1 million has been pledged and more are expected to
reward the Pahang teams Malaysia Cup victory.
                             (END)