KUALA LUMPUR, 8 January 2004 — Germany will be looking to add the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup to their world and European titles when the 13th edition of the hockey showpiece gets under way here today.
The tournament is being used by Germany and several other teams as a warm-up to this year’s Olympics, with all sides apart from India sending full-strength squads for the event.
The Germans lead a star-studded field which includes 2002 Asian Games champions South Korea, Asia Cup winners India, Oceania champions and World Cup runners-up Australia and defending champions Pakistan. Spain and Malaysia complete the field. Germany have brought 14 of the players that won the World Cup at the same venue two years ago and start as the favorites despite having to adjust to heat and humidity from a freezing European winter.
Florian Kuntz, Michael Green, Bjorn Michel are already household names in Malaysia and the German workmanlike performance will no doubt prove a handful for the other teams.
Though the Australians and Germans are favorites, the threat posed by the Spanish cannot be discounted. Under the astute guidance of Dutchman Maurits Hendriks, Spain have grown from strength to strength.
The Asian challenge will be provided by South Korea and Pakistan, who have at the helm another Dutchman Roland Oltmans.
Pakistan will count on the ability of Sohail Abbas to get the goals through the penalty corner situations while the Koreans will be banking on Song Seung-tae to get them going. As for India, despite being represented by 11 players who will carry their challenge at the Junior Asia Cup in Karachi this April, they may well prove to be a handful for the rest. “The young players have a lot to prove and with the seniors guiding them, we will be out to surprise many teams,” said Indian coach Harendra Singh.
