THE national junior hockey team have nothing to look forward to this year following the cancellation of the Sultan of Johor Cup amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
However, the boys' team, under coach Wallace Tan, will still gather, when the government allows field training, to prepare for next year's Junior Asia Cup, a qualifier for the Junior World Cup in India.
The boys and girls' Junior Asia Cups in Bangladesh and Japan this year have been suspended.
The Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) have yet to finalise new dates for both tournaments.
However, the AHF face a tricky situation as the International Hockey Federation (FIH) require all continents to confirm their teams for next year's Junior World Cup by the end of this year.
But the FIH are expected to delay it as the Junior World Cup is scheduled only late next year.
"Although junior tournaments have been cancelled this year, our trainees will still train.
"They need to keep in shape for the boys and girls' Junior Asia Cups, likely early next year," said Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) president Datuk Seri Subahan Kamal.