WHEN two senior coaches have the same opinion, it is time for immediate action.
Tenaga Nasional-sponsored Thunderbolts chief coach Nor Saiful Zaini and national coach Arul Selvaraj did not see any exciting players in the final of the Junior Hockey League on Sunday.
Bukit Jalil Sports School (BJSS) Thunderbolts were held 2-2 by Batu Pahat-based state sports school Datuk Bentara Luar before winning the shootout 4-2 to claim their maiden JHL double.
Arul said these players are not good enough to make his training squad.
While Nor Saiful, a former international, noted he saw only Sea Games-level players from the quarter-final stage.
"These Under-20 players can win the Sea Games title and maybe beat Japan on their best day.
"However, they are not good enough to match junior teams from India, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Australia and New Zealand.
"The four Thunderbolts teams in Division One were disappointing. The standard has dropped drastically. It is probably because this season was an Under-20 event. Furthermore, there were changes in coaches at Anderson (Thunderbolts) and SSTMI (Thunderbolts)," said triple Olympian Nor Saiful.
The other Thunderbolts sponsored by Tenaga Nasional are BJSS and Pahang.
Arul, who watched the final on Sunday, said: "Not one player in this final can make my (senior) team or even walk into the training pool. I don't see anything special in them.
"One has to be either hardworking or naturally gifted to join the national team for next year's World Cup and Asian Games.
"I saw only average players playing in the JHL final."
SSTMI Thunderbolts were a big disappointment when the defending overall champions finished fourth this year, while BJSS were taken the extra mile by a state sports school.
"If BJSS and SSTMI, who have the facilities and coaching staff, can still show a mediocre performance, it is time to shake up the system for the good of the nation.
"Our (Thunderbolts) mission is to provide a pool of national (junior) trainees. This season we have failed to be a feeder. We may relook and redraw our plans for next season," Nor Saiful added.