Malaysian coach with Tamil Nadu roots, Arul backs his team to surprise everyone

Chennai: There is a sense of excitement in the stadium whenever Malaysia plays; this is not the first time it is happening here.

Back in 1997, when current Malaysian coach Arul Anthoni Selvaraj came to play in Chennai, his name attracted a lot of traction, cheers, and noise.

“I remember when our names were mentioned, there used to be a lot of cheer and noise. People were waving at us, cheering for us, and smiling at us. It felt very special,” recalled Arul Anthoni, who has his roots in Tamil Nadu.

“It feels good to be back after 26 years in the same stadium. I keep coming to Kumbakonam (282km from Chennai) to visit my extended family and cousins,” Arul, visibly overwhelmed by the reception he received on his comeback, told The Bridge.

Disappointed with the timing of the ACT

The 49-year-old Malaysian is looking forward to a good show from his team in the Asian Champions Trophy but is disappointed with the tournament's timing.

“It is not the right time to have an event like this. Seven matches in ten days is a very hectic and stressful schedule,” said Arul.

While other teams are approaching the tournament as a pre-cursor to the upcoming Asian Games, Arul feels the Asian Champions Trophy could have been scheduled later.

“Imagine after this hectic tournament, we have to go and play an Olympic qualification in Asian Games. I am most worried about the injuries. No one wants a major injury at the moment,” Arul said.

The timing of the tournament has been a cause of discomfort for many teams, with hosts India arriving in Chennai just one day before their campaign opener against China and after playing a tournament in faraway Spain.

Asked how his team will approach the tournament, he said, "We have to be smart about our approach. I think most teams will follow the same approach and try to avoid main injuries before the Asian Games.”

'Malaysia will be a surprise package'

Known as the ‘Speedy Tigers’, the Malaysian hockey team is coming to India second time this year after participating in the 2023 Hockey World Cup in January.

“I know our team is known for the speed and all of them are fast and furious but this doesn’t excite me much,” said Arul.

Arul wants his team be as mentally prompt as they are fast on the turf.

“I want them to be fast mentally so that they can quickly function and tackle the match situations. I want their minds to get quicker like computer software,” stressed Arul.

Malaysia has been on a constant rise in the past few years when it comes to hockey. The team is currently ranked 10th in the world and third in Asia behind India and South Korea.

“I am not sure what people expect from us but one thing for sure and that is we will surprise everyone,” signed off Arul.

With one-third of the tournament gone by, Arul’s team has kept his faith and is at the top of the points table with two big wins against Pakistan and China. They play against hosts India on Sunday evening.