Man in the middle (The Malay Mail)

AGE may not be on his side but Mohamad Ali Sapiee, in full flow for
Sarawak in the Malaysia Cup competition, is like vintage wine.
 The wily 33-year-old midfielder has been in inspiring form as Sarawak
earned the distinction of becoming the first team to qualify for the
semifinals.
 He was on the way to becoming a has-been until Nazri Yunos went to Spain
with the national team for the World Five-a-side finals in Spain.
 Since last year, Ali faced stiff competition from youngsters like Nazri
and Ibrahim Mantali. More often than not, he was on the bench.
 However, when it seemed Ali was having his last season with Sarawak, he
found himself providing much bite for the Crocs.
 It has been quite a turnaround for a player who was out of the team for
two seasons in 1991 and 1992 due to personal and employment reasons.
 Nonetheless, the Sarawak FA saw an asset in him. He made his comeback in
1993 to feature prominently in manager-cum-coach Alan Vest's plans.
 Partnering another veteran, Jalil Ramli, Ali had a good season under
Vest in 1993 and 1994.
 Making his debut for Sarawak in 1984, Ali skippered them from 1986 to
1990.
 Vest admitted that initially he had some apprenhensions over Ali playing
in Nazri's place. He was not too sure how Ali would cope as he is a little
slower now.
 "But Ali surprised me. It is indeed a pleasant surprise and I found it
hard to believe it is the same Ali whom I had wanted to phase out
gradually.
 "He is like an energetic youngster, and certainly not playing like a 33-
year-old.
 "His passes are accurate, he runs into positions and is an industrious
midfielder.
 "He has certainly played a key role in Sarawak's good run in the
Malaysia Cup competition," said Vest.
 A modest Ali said: "Maybe the long rest has helped me. I am just glad to
be given the opportunity to play in the first 11 again."
 Probably the best compliment for Ali came with the news that Vest has
decided to renew his contract for another season.
 The icing to Ali's long and faithful career with Sarawak would be
creating history with the East Malaysian State by reaching the Malaysia
Cup final.
                                (END)

Keegan remembers the extinct Tigers (The Malay Mail)

NEWCASTLE manager Kevin Keegan still remembers fondly his time as player-
coach with the Tigers squad in the 1984 Merdeka tournament.
 Keegan, who is a guest of the Brunei royal family together with Peter
Beardsley and Darren Peacock, was at Stadium Negara Hassanal Bolkiah in
Bandar Seri Begawan last night where Brunei hosted Johor in a Malaysia Cup
match.
 Keegan, who wrote a column for the Malay Mail during his stay here, was
curious about the Tigers, the national back-up squad.
 "There were several talented players in the team. Did any of them make
the national team?" he asked.
 The Tigers are long extinct.
 Keegan said he would be in Brunei for several days and might conduct
coaching clinics for schoolchildren.
 "I will probably be back in Brunei with the full Newcastle team for a
few friendly matches.
 "Maybe, we will come to Malaysia. I would really like to go back there
again," said Keegan.
 On Newcastle's performance in the English Premier League where they are
table leaders, Keegan said it was good start but too early in the season
to mean very much.
 "We still have a long way to go in the season. We are doing well but I
will be happier if we are still doing this well towards the end of the
season," said the amiable Keegan.
                                (END)

It will be special for Fairuz (The Malay Mail)

AHMAD FAIRUZ YUNUS will try to be the second Kuala Lumpur player to win a
FA Cup medal with a second team.
 Yap Wai Loon did it with Sabah last year.
 Fairuz, making his debut with Sarawak this season, was with the KL side
than won the FA Cup in 1993 and 1994.
 The lanky defender, who turned 24 on June 15, is looking forward to his
third FA Cup medal with his new team.
 "After failing to win anything with Terengganu last season, I am looking
forward to a medal with Sarawak," said Fairuz.
 Just two months ago, Fairuz was contemplating asking to be released as
he was not making much headway with Sarawak.
 But coach Alan Vest's encouragement and Fairuz's patience, paid off as
he is now a regular with the team.
 He is not playing his favourite sweeper's role but Fairuz is glad he has
a place in the team.
 He will play as leftback in place of injured Dahlan Matusin.
 "I prefer playing as a sweeper or central defender but I am not
complaining," said Fairuz.
 Fairuz got his break when rightback Roslan Ismail was injured in May.
Then, it was Dahlan who was injured and Fairuz took over his slot.
 Fairuz is still keeping his place and his steady performance has given
no reason for Vest to look for a replacement.
 "I am excited about the Cup final although it is my third," said Fairuz
the son of former KL coach Yunus Tasman.
 "Besides, I want to repay the confidence of the coach and the Sarawak FA
in me."
 On the final, Fairuz said experienced Kedah will start as the
favourites.
 "But the underdog tag suits us fine and we will try to ovecome the
odds," he said.
 Fairuz expects a torrid time from the speedy Kedah forwards, especially
Mohamad Adzha, Che Zambil Ahmad and Hashim Mustapha.
 "I am prepared for the challenge," said Fairuz.
 "It is going to be tough but Kedah are not unstoppable."
                                (END)

Problems aplenty: Knee injury puts Karthekayan out (The Malay Mail)

DISASTER has struck just when things were looking up for Kuala Lumpur
defender G. Karthekayan.
 Karthekayan, making a late debut in the M-League this season, suffered a
knee injury in Wednesday morning's training session at the City Hall
ground.
 He came on as a substitute on four occasions before being named among
the first 11 on Saturday night against Pahang. He did well enough for
coach Chow Kwai Lam to consider keeping him in the starting team against
Terengganu in Kuala Terengganu tomorrow.
 Karthekayan came in as a stopper to replace the suspended Zefus Othman
against Pahang and was all excited about finally breaking into the first
team after much hard work.
 But yesterday morning he was a picture of dejection and pain.
 His worst fears were confirmed by the orthopaedic surgeon - a meniscus
and medial ligament tear.
 Karthekayan underwent arthroscopic surgery yesterday afternoon and is
out for three to four weeks.
 "I cannot believe my luck. I make the first 11 and the next moment I
suffer this injury," said Karthekayan, who injured his knee when he fell
awkwardly in training.
 Kwai Lam was equally disappointed.
 "He did well against Pahang and I had plans for him against Terengganu,
especially with Zefus still suspended," said Kwai Lam.
                               (END)

England have a ball (The Malay Mail)

Reporting from Hong Kong

THE way the players were partying on Sunday night you would have thought
England had just won the European soccer championships.
All they had really won was a friendly against a Hong Kong club side -
Golden XI - in their build-up for the championships starting in England on
June 8.
But that did not stop them from having a grand time at the Hong Kong
Jump Restaurant & Bar.
England's tour of China and Hong Kong has been heavily critised but the
players had enough reason to party.
For starters, they were having a few days off after playing Hong Kong
and also it was Paul Gascoigne's 29th birthday yesterday.
England manager Terry Venables had imposed a ban on alcohol consumption
on his players upon arrival in Hong Kong on Friday evening.
The ban over, champagne flowed freely yesterday and the players partied
until 2am.
By the time they left, many did not have anything on their backs and
happily put on the Jump T-shirt given to them.
Gascoigne, who did not play against Hong Kong because of a groin
infection, certainly showed no signs of pain as he danced the night away.
The English team left for home yesterday evening and will rest a few
days before their last leg of preparations.
                           (END)

Men of substance (The Malay Mail

HONG KONG: Denmark's Poul Erik Hoyer-Larsen and Peter Rasmussen have
turned out to be the strongest players mentally in the Thomas Cup finals.
 They showed it again in their semifinal victory over China yesterday at
the Queen Elizabeth Stadium.
 There's a difference of a decade between Hoyer-Larsen, who turns 31 on
Sept 20, and Rasmussen, 22 on Aug 2, but they play with almost the same
level of maturity, composure and determination - something conspicously
absent in the Malaysian players.
 Experienced Hoyer-Larsen, who studied psychology to improve his game,
made a superb comeback from 1-13 down in the second set after losing the
first 15-6 to world no 1 Dong Xiong 18-17. The Dane went on to win 6-15,
18-17, 15-11.
 Rasmussen, who entered the courts knowing Denmark's passage to the final
depended on him with the score at 2-2, upset Lin Liwen 15-12, 15-3.
 It is all very simple for the Danes.
 Rasmussen explained: "I just went in there and gave my best.
 "Morten (Frost) told me he does not care if I lost or won, so long as I
gave my best.
 "I am gald my best was good enough to give us the winning point," said
Rasmussen, who is making his Thomas Cup debut.
 He also clinched the winning point against Korea in the Group match.
 And now, Rasmusssen is looking forward to the final against Indonesia
with great hope of creating history.
 "It could again come down to me for the crucial point. I am just going
to treat it as another game and give my best."
 Rasmussen could play either Alan Budi Kusuma or Ardy Wiranta.
 He has lost thrice and won once against Alan.
 Hoyer-Larsen said he was lucky to beat Dong Xiong.
 "I was on the brink of defeat at 1-13 in the second set but never gave
up. I just kept going and it worked for me," said Hoyer-Larsen.
 "It has been a long time since I played the way I did and coming just
before the Atlanta Olmypics it is simply great."
 He cited the time at the Singapore Open in 1990 when he down 2-13 in the
second set after losing the first against Alan Budi Kusuma but went on to
win 18-16. In the rubber he was down 1-12 but came back to win 18-15.
 At the World Grand Prix in 1989, he achieved a similar feat when he
defeated England's Steve Butler coming from behind.
 "Lady Luck was with me," he said.
 But it has more to do than with just luck and Hoyer-Larsen admitted
mental strength played a crucial part in his victory.
 "Sometimes things don't go according to our plans. But we have to be
mentally strong to believe in ourselves and work our way back. We also
have to consider our options under prressure. That also means taking
risks.
 "Today (yesterday) I was simply not moving in the first set and for a
major part of the second. When I got going it was a little late. But I
just believed in myself and said nothing was impossible.
 "I am glad it worked for me and I hope I will have a better outing in
the final to give Denmark a realistic chance of winning the Thomas Cup."
 Coach Morten Frost was full of praise for Hoyer-Larsen and said only
Hoyer-Larsen could have achieved a feat like that.
 "Hoyer-Larsen is the world's best comeback artist. It is not easy and
nobody wants to be in that kind of situation. But the point is he can make
that kind of recovery even when his game lets him down."
 It is a delight to watch players like Hoyer-Larsen and Rasmussen
displaying so much mental strength and triumphing against the odds.

RESULTS
THOMAS CUP (S-finals)
  Denmark 3 China 2: Poul Erik Hoyer Larsen bt Dong Jiong 6-15, 18-17,
15-11; Jon Holst Christensen-Jim Laugesen lost to Jiang Xin-Huang
Zhanzhong 12-15, 7-15; Thomas Stuer Lauridsen lost to Sun Jun 5-15, 8-15;
Henrik Svarrer-Michael Sogaard bt Ge Cheng-Tao Xiaoqiang 15-8, 17-15;
Peter Rasmussen bt Lin Liwen 15-12, 15-3.
 Indonesia 3 Korea 2: Joko Suprianto bt Park Sung Woo 18-17, 15-1; Ricky
Subagja-Rexy Mainaky bt Ha Tae Kwon-Kang Kyung Jin 15-10, 15-7; Alan Budi
Kusuma bt Lee Kwang Jin 15-6, 15-9; Antonius-Denny Kantono lost to Park
Joo Bong-Kim Dong Moon 0-15, 5-15; Ardy Wiranata lost to Ahn Jae Chang 8-
15, 3-15.
                               (END)

Grabo and Co play England (The Malay Mail)

Reporting from Hong Kong

THREE players familiar to Malaysian fans will be in Hong Kong's Golden 11
who play England in a friendly for the Century Challenge Cup on Sunday.
 The three - Anto Grabo, Alen Bajkusa and Marlon van der Sander - used to
play for Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Terengganu respectively in the Premier
League.
 England played China yesterday and another against Hong Kong as part of
their run-up to the European championships in England next month.
 Grabo and van der Sander play for Golden in the Hong Kong Div 1 League
while Bajkusa, who plays for South China Athletic Association, is a guest
player.
 Golden have also invited former England international and current
Everton captain Dave Watson. He arrived in Hong Kong on Monday and played
in a friendly against the J-League's Urawa Red Diamonds on Tuesday. Golden
won 1-0.
 Golden have also invited goalkeeper Iain Hesford, who plays for Eastern
in the Hong Kong League, to complete their line-up.
 Golden have another four foreigners with them, including former Engand
player Michael Duxbury.
 Grabo, 35, who played a season for KL four years ago, said: "We have
incentives from individual sponsors for the match."
 He said the sponsors have put up HK$200,000 if they score one goal
against England, HK$500,000 for two and HK$1 million for three.
 "There is no offer yet for a win over England but we can expect a
windfall," he said.
 Grabo said their match allowances will also depend on the margin of
defeat or victory.
 Grabo have beaten Chelsea 2-1 and Brazil's Sao Paulo 4-2. They lost to
Italy's AC Milan 2-1.
 England are expected to arrive in Hong Kong from China this evening.
 They will have a practice session at the Hong Kong Stadium tomorrow
morning.
 For security reasons, England's place of stay has been kept a secret.
 There will be no airport reception or interviews besides the photo
session during their practice session followed by a press conference at
the stadium itself with Venables and a few selected players.
                              (END)