AFTER being sidelined for two tournaments, Malaysia Hockey League’s (MHL) top scorer Faizal Saari was included yesterday in the training squad for the World League Round Two at Seng Kang Hockey Stadium in Singapore on Jan 17-25.
The 24-year-old, who did not feature in the Glasgow Commonwealth Games in July and Incheon Asian Games in September, scored 16 goals to help Terengganu win the MHL double.
Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) senior vice president Datuk Nur Azmi Ahmad said 25 players were called up for training based on their performances in the MHL.
Tai Beng Hai is the interim coach and he will be assisted by former national coach Stephen van Huizen.
Beng Hai said he would name the final squad of 18 players after three friendly matches at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil against Poland on Jan 4 and 6 and one against Bangladesh on Jan 8.
Malaysia ranked 13th, are the top seeded team and they are in Group A with minnows Oman, Ukraine and Fiji.
Japan, 16th in the world, are in Group B with Poland, Bangladesh and Singapore.
The top-three teams in Singapore will qualify for the World League semi-finals in Belgium and Argentina in June.
The World League is a qualifier for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.
Azmi warned all those who were called up to show up for national training or they will face action.
“We will ban players from playing for the national team in the future if they don’t show up for national training, which begins on Dec 22 (Monday),” said Azmi.
“The priority is the national team. If they can play for clubs in the domestic and foreign leagues, then they should also be able to feature for the national team.
“We will also not give the national players any retirement benefits if they don’t attend national training. However, we will excuse injured players,” said Nur Azmi, who is also the team manager.
The squad — Goalkeepers: S. Kumar, Roslan Jamaluddin, Mohd Hafizuddin Othman; Defenders: Ahmad Kazamirul, Azlan Misron, Azreen Rizal Nasir, Baljit Singh Charun, Faiz Helmi Jali, Sukri Mutalib, Izad Hakimi , Razie Rahim; Midfielders: Meor Azuan Hasan, Fitri Saari, Ramadan Rosli, Azri Hassan, Marhan Jalil, Nabil Fiqri, Shahrun Nabil; Forwards: Faizal Saari, Izwan Firdaus, Firhan Ashaari, Haziq Samsul, Rashid Baharom, Shahril Saabah, Tengku Ahmad Tajuddin. By Jugjet Singh