A first for Dan (The Malay Mail)

ENGLAND'S Daniel Murphy has played more than 150 League matches but he
fired his first hat-trick only yesterday in his team's 5-0 demolition of
United Arab Emirates at the Larkin Stadium.
 It was also the current World Youth Cup's first hat-trick.
 England are in the second round with their second win. They beat Ivory
Coast 2-1 in their opening match.
 Murphy, who has been with Second Division Crewe Alexandra the last two
seasons, is being sought by the Premier League's Newcastle and Tottenham
Hotspurs.
 Newcastle are apparently willing to pay STG1.5 million for him.
 Murphy, who turned 20 on March 18, had teammates Michael Owens and
Kieron Dyer to thank for his feat.
 After putting his team in the lead in the 5th minute, Murphy scored his
second in the 39th minute and his third through a penalty in the 50th
minute.
 The penalty was earned by Dyer who was brought down by UAE's Mohamaed Al
Baloushi.
 Owens is England's designated penalty kicker but he allowed Murphy to go
for the hat-trick.
 Owens scored England's fourth goal a minute after Murphy had scored his
hattrick. UAE's Abdulla Ahmed Abdulla scored an own goal to complete the
score for England.
 Murphy, a regular with the England Under-18 side, is enjoying his new
role as a back-up striker to Owens.
 Murphy said the news about him being sought by Newscastle and Tottenham
has affected his performance lately.
 Powell had talked to Murphy twice on his future and urged him to
concentrate on this tournament first before thinking of anything else.
 Murphy's feat earned him the official match ball from Fifa last night.
                              (END)

A first for Dan (The Malay Mail)

ENGLAND'S Daniel Murphy has played more than 150 League matches but he
fired his first hat-trick only yesterday in his team's 5-0 demolition of
United Arab Emirates at the Larkin Stadium.

  It was also the current World Youth Cup's first hat-trick.
  England are in the second round with their second win. They beat Ivory
Coast 2-1 in their opening match.

  Murphy, who has been with Second Division Crewe Alexandra the last two
seasons, is being sought by the Premier League's Newcastle and Tottenham
Hotspurs.

  Newcastle are apparently willing to pay STG1.5 million for him.

 Murphy, who turned 20 on March 18, had teammates Michael Owens and
Kieron Dyer to thank for his feat.

 After putting his team in the lead in the 5th minute, Murphy scored his
second in the 39th minute and his third through a penalty in the 50th
minute.

 The penalty was earned by Dyer who was brought down by UAE's Mohamaed Al
Baloushi.

 Owens is England's designated penalty kicker but he allowed Murphy to go
for the hat-trick.

 Owens scored England's fourth goal a minute after Murphy had scored his
hattrick. UAE's Abdulla Ahmed Abdulla scored an own goal to complete the
score for England.

 Murphy, a regular with the England Under-18 side, is enjoying his new
role as a back-up striker to Owens.

 Murphy said the news about him being sought by Newscastle and Tottenham
has affected his performance lately.

  Powell had talked to Murphy twice on his future and urged him to
concentrate on this tournament first before thinking of anything else.

 Murphy's feat earned him the official match ball from Fifa last night.
                              

Back to the future (Sunday Mail Supplement)

FANS in Malaysia might not realise it but they could be lucky enough to
watch football of the new millennium when the some of the top soccer
powers battle for the World Youth Cup in the next three weeks.
 Five years from now some of the stars unearthed in Malaysia could well
parade their stellar skills at the 2002 World Cup in Korea and Japan.
 Then, planet Earth could well very different but hopefully, better than
what we know now and on the positive side, that should also apply to the
inhabitants' football skills and showmanship.
 Drawing the inspiration from what they show here and what some stars
will continue to display in France '98, football in the new millenium
could well be a sport embellished by new dimensions.
 Robotic we certainly hope it will not be, but full of new possibilities
and fantasy.
 The trends do point to that direction especially if FIFA, the world's
soccer governing body get a new, visionary and more dynamic leader to
replace Joao Havelange.
 The new man is expected the speed up the democratisation of world
soccer, by advancing the claims of Africa and Asia as soccer's new
continents and truly take the game across national barriers.
 The seeds of the change were sowed when Africa, especially through the
exploits of Ghana at youth levels, Cameroon and Nigeria at World Cup and
Olympic level, began to disturb the world's soccer power equation.
 It gained further credence when Asia joined the chorus, by the sheer
ability and will power displayed by Saudi Arabia and South Korea at USA
94.
 Nigeria were robbed of their rights and dignity by FIFA before the 1995
tournament, shifting it to Qatar.
 Even if the 1996 Olympic champions are not here because they lost out to
Ivory Coast in the qualifiers, the Africans have the spirits to conquer
through Ghana, Morocco, the Ivory Coast and apartheid-free South Africa.
 The young and hungry are restless as ever and this Youth World Cup could
well feed on the innate human need to hope, dream and be free.
 Malaysia have realised their dreams to be hosts and play among the elite
and despite all the hitches and glitches, the quality of football in the
XIth World Youth Cup could be the glitziest ever.
 The fans might not come in droves but the teams will almost make sure of
that.
 Leading the way will be Brazil, three-time winners out to emulate their
famed seniors, by winning their fourth title.
 They might fail, as they have many times before but the Brazilians are
set to dazzle.
 As befitting a team that have produced five of the tournaments' best
players.
 The Golden Ball winners - the Brazilians will not bow out without a
blaze of glory.
 In terms of skills and fantasy, the Brazilians have rivals in the
Ghanaians.
 Sponsored by Malaysian telecommunications giant Telekom Malaysia, Ghana
could be the spoilers of Latin ambitions.
 Speaking of which brings us to Argentina, the champions of 1995. The
Argentines could prove to be too good again.
 The Europeans, with the elegant French side leading the continent, will
be as tough as ever.
 The Australians are not as strong or as well-prepared as their past
achievements have suggested.
 This shifts the task of upholding the Asia-Oceania to South Korea.
 For the Koreans, who still do not like the job of sharing the 2002 World
Cup with the Japanese, Malaysia 97 should be the time to come good.

PREVIOUS WINNERS
1977 Tunisia: Soviet Union 2 Mexico 2 (Soviet 9-8 on penalties)
1979 Japan: Argentina 2 Soviet Union 1
1981 Australia: West Germany 4 Qatar 0
1983 Mexico: Brazil 1 Argentina 0
1985 USSR: Brazil 1 Spain 0
1987 Chile: Yugoslavia 1 West Germany 1 (Yugoslavia 5-4 on penalties)
1989 Saudi Arabia: Portugal 2 Nigeria 0
1991 Portugal: Portugal 0 Brazil 0 (Portugal 4-2 on penalties)
1993 Australia: Brazil 2 Ghana 1
1995 Qatar: Argentina 2 Brazil 0

STARS WHO PLAYED IN PREVIOUS YMC
 ARGENTINA - Jorge Burruchaga, Sergio Goycochea, Diego Maradona
 AUSTRALIA - Frank Farina, Paul Okon
 BRAZIL - Bebeto, Dunga, Jorginho, Silas, Taffarel
 COLOMBIA - Rene Higuita, Ivan Valenciano
 CZECHOSLOVAKIA - Lubos Kubik
 ENGLAND - Neil Webb
 GERMANY - Andreas Moller, Michael Zorc
 GHANA - Nii Odartey Lamptey, Isaac Assare
 ITALY - Giovanni Galli, Riccardo Ferri, Alessandro Melli
 HOLLAND - Marco van Basten, Gerald Venenburg, Johnny van't Schip
 NORWAY - Stig Inge Bjorneby, Henning Berg, Lars Bohinen
 PORTUGAL - Luis Figo, Fernando Couto, Paulo Sousa, Rui Costa
 SCOTLAND - Paul McStay, Brian McClair, Pat Nevin
 SPAIN - Alfonso, Fernando Gomez
 URUGUAY - Hugo De Leon, Enzo Francescoli, Ruben Paz, Ruben Sosa
 USSR - Vladimir Bessonov, Vagiz Khidiatulin, Viktor Onopko, Oleg
 Protasov, Aleksander Zavarov
 YUGOSLAVIA - Davor Suker, Robert Prosinecki, Zvonimir Boban
                              (END)

Cheers to a good tourney (The Malay Mail)

ANY TIME is a bad time for Malaysian youth soccer players to have a drink.
And with the World Youth Cup tournament so close, they would be in for a
sack from the team or a ban from the game if caught with a pint.
But for the English youths currently in Johor Baru for their group
matches, it's no big deal.
The players are often seen at their hotel's drinking hole until closing
time.
And occasionally, team officials and even manager Ted Powell despite
being a tee-totaller join the lot.
Powell, when asked on the rules the players have to observe, said: "Our
rules were laid down after discussions with the players and the other team
officials.
"The players are all professionals and know what is required of them. To
treat them like children will not be wise.
"We emphasise strict discipline in training, including punctuality and
general discipline.
"The players understand my requirements and respond positively and we
have had no problems," said Powell.
Amazingly, the players are all on time for training despite closing the
pub the night before - and they do well, too!
The players, who are all members of the English league's youth teams or
senior teams, act maturely and responsibly.
Their Asian counterparts, on the other hand, are closely guarded, often
with curfews imposed.
But a comparison between Malaysian players and English players in this
respect will mean little because of the cultural bias.
                             (END)

English rose among the thorns (The Malay Mail)

LORRAINE KILBY is the rose among the thorns in the England youth team.
She is the team's head of administration and has been with the English
FA's youth teams since she was 19 and fresh out of school.
Lorraine, 24, is an important link to the team and she loves every
minute of her job.
It all started when she answered an advertisement by the English FA for
an administrator for the youth teams five years ago.
"I love soccer and I have not had a moment of regret since accepting the
job," said Lorraine who got hooked to the game after following her father
to soccer matches.
England manager Ted Powell said Lorraine sees to the team's every need -
from contacting players for training or tournaments at their clubs to
making travel and hotel arrangements.
"And she does it with such professionalism that we have no complaints,"
said Powell.
Lorraine has travelled extensively with England's Under-15, Under-19 and
Under-21 sides.
Lorraine and Powell were in Johor Bahru 10 weeeks ago to do the
bookings, check out the training grounds and to see to the squad's all
other possible needs.
Lorraine said she has not encountered any major problem.
"I take pride in my job and ensure that whatever is required is done to
the best of my ability.
"And I get much satisfaction from seeing the young footballers become
top players in the League and the senior national team," she said.
Among the players she has worked with are Sol Campbell, Gary Neville,
David Beckham, Paul Scholes, David Neville, Nicky Butt and Robbie Fowler.
Lorraine is certainly the envy of many a soccer fan but it is no cosy
job as it requires total dedication and great administrative skills.
                             (END)

It's master v student (The Malay Mail)

AFTER 30 years, the master and the student will pit wits against each
other when Kuala Lumpur host Perak in an M-League match at Merdeka Stadium
tonight.
 Perak coach Karl Weigang conducted the FA of Malaysia Advanced Coaching
Certificate course in 1977 under a German Government Exchange programme
and among those attending the course was current KL coach Chow Kwai Lam.
 Kwai Lam aced the examinations and also the next two the following two
years, also conducted by Weigang.
 Weigang also picked Kwai Lam to assist him.
 Among the other local coaches who attened the first course were Mahadi
Yusof (Kelantan), Abdullah Mohamad (Terengganu), M. Chandran (Selangor),
Ahmad Shafie (Kedah), Mohamad Bakar (Penang) and Peter Paul David (Kedah).
 Other coaches who graduated from the later courses are Penang's Moey Yok
Ham, Kelantan's Kelly Tham and Johor's K. Sugumaran.
 Weigang was also the national coach from 1977 to 1981 and his notable
achievement was seeing the Malaysian team qualify for the Moscow Olympics
which Malaysia boycotted.
 Since 1981, Weigang has often visited some of his old friends, incuding
Kwai Lam and Soh Chin Aun.
 This year, Weigang surprisingly accepted to coach Perak after giving up
his job as Vietnam's national coach.
 It would be interesting to see how the student fares against his master
but Kwai Lam is downplaying the meeting.
 "It is not Weigang and me who will be playing. It is what the players do
out there that matters," said Kwai Lam.
 "We can only instruct them and give them a game plan but at the end of
the night it is the players who will make the difference."
 Kwai Lam said there should be no comparision between him and Weigang.
 "There is no such thing as a good coach or a bad coach. The only thing
that exists is a successful coach.
 "And there can only be one succesful coach at the end of the season. But
that does not mean the rest of the coaches are bad," said Kwai Lam.
 Weigang's priority will be lift his team off the bottom of the table
while Kwai Lam will want to see his team keep up their recent winning
form.
                               (END)

Truth hurts! (The Malay Mail)

HERE is one policeman who shoots straight and talks straight. And he
provides a good blast for Malaysian soccer.
 Dell Akhbar Khan, the new Malaysian soccer team manager, is a man who
calls a spade a spade, buries the incompetents and give slackers the full
double barrel.
 Expressing his intentions and views without prejudice, fear or favour,
Dell can give hell.
 The Federal Traffic Deputy Assistant Commissioner doesn't promise false
hopes and holds nothing back. And the truth needs to be heard if Malaysian
soccer is to improve.
 Many may take umbrage when Dell said Malaysian soccer is not ready to
challenge teams like Saudi Arabia. Malaysia lost 3-0 to the Saudis, no
excuses.
 It was the truth and, more often then not, the truth hurts.
 Finally, the national team are run by a manager who not only really
knows the game, being a former international, but also possesses a
recognised coaching certificate.
 A shrewd match analyst, Dell has formal training in this aspect having
attended a recent course in Brazil.
 And it is about time his reports are taken seriously if Malaysian soccer
is to have a future.
 He has got a good working partner in national coach Wan Jamak Wan
Hassan. They respect each other's views and work as a team.
 Dell's assessment of the present Malaysian team is that they are only
good for regional tournaments. In view of the players' abilities, don't
dream of anything more.
 Nonetheless, Dell said the team are not beyond salvation and they have
potential.
 But, it will take time - at least another two years - to see results.
 As to from where new talents are coming from is anybody's guess. The
present national team already have the best and FAM have scraped the
bottom of the barrel.
 Several players from the national Youth World Cup squad look promising
but they need time to be groomed.
 Dell said Malaysia will have to play a lot of exposure matches outside
this region and not be obssessed with winning.
 "It's pointless to play teams from the South-East Asian region because
not really much separates us and there is nothing much we can learn," said
Dell.
 "We need to play against top teams like Saudi Arabia as they can expose
the many weaknesses in our side.
 "It is only through defeats and mistakes that a player or team can
learn."
 When are we going to shoot straight?

ROLL OF HONOUR
* Player of the Year: Zainal Abidin Hassan
* Striker of the Year: Azman Adnan
* Midfielder of the Year: K. Sanbagamaran
* Defender of the Year: B. Rajnikandh
* Goalkeeper of the Year: Khairul Azman Mohamed
* Most Valuable Foreign Player: Merzagua Abderazzak
* Most Promising Player of the Year: Che Zambil Ahmad
* Manager of the Year: Datuk Mohamed Aini Taib
* Coach of the Year: Ronald Smith
* Fan Club of the Year: Selangor
* Best Youth Performance: Selangor
* Referee of the Year: V.K.S. Sinniya
IN APPRECIATION
* National Soccer Leadership Award: Datuk Harun Idris
* Best Soccer Sportswriter: George Jeyaraj
* Best Soccer Sports Commentator: Amran Hamid
* National Soccer Team Award: 1974 Asian Games Squad.
                              (END)