KUALA LUMPUR: Outgoing national head coach Tai Beng Hai will be the new director of coaching. MHC secretary Johari Abdul Aziz (pic), however, said the appointment will have to be ratified by the Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) council.
But that would be mere formality, he reckoned. The proposal to move Beng Hai was suggested at a high--powered meeting among MHC and National Sports Council bigwigs.
The MHC coaching committee had earlier said the position would be advertised.
"We discussed the appointment of a new head coach and also Beng Hai's future. He has a contract until December and we do not want to neglect our local coaches," said Johari.
"We have not finalised the job scope of the director of coaching, but it would involve developing, producing and improving quality of local coaches."
Johari added MHC were also looking at developing a proper coaching system in schools.
Stephen van Huizen may be retained as national team coordinator but Nor Saiful Zaini's position as assistant coach was still unclear.
"We didn't discuss the assistant coach. We are bringing in a foreign coach and he may have his own ideas for his backup staff ," said Johari.
MHC have identified two candidates -- South African Paul Revington and Australian Paul Gaudoin -- for the national team. In fact, there is a possibility that both candidates may be hired.
"There is nothing conclusive," said MHC coaching committee chairman Manjit Majid Abdullah.
"Beng Hai is a good coach and we don't want to send him into 'cold storage'. For now we will wait for the council to endorse Beng Hai's appointment."
The others present at the discussion were MHC president Tengku Abdullah Shah, senior vice--president Datuk Nur Azmi Ahmad, Johari and National Sports Council representatives -- director general Datuk Zolkples Embong and elite programme director Arrifi n Mohd Ghani.
