Interview

8 February Tenaga defender Baljit aims to be a winner again for the third time

Interview Date : 2010-02-08

Interview By: The Star

Description :

Tenaga Nasional defender Baljit Singh wants to keep intact a perfect record of being on the winning side in a Malaysia Hockey League (MHL) final.

He will be making his third appearance in the final when Tenaga play against Sapura for the overall title at the Tun Razak Stadium here on Friday.

Baljit won the winners’ medal in his debut season in the MHL with Tenaga in 2004 and again in 2007. On both occasions, Tenaga defeated Ernst and Young.

He said yesterday that he had to shoulder a greater burden this time as the team also relied on him to guide the younger players.

“So going into this final will be different. The responsibility is bigger as one of the national players in the team. We have a good blend of players and I feel we are ready for the battle to regain the overall title,” he said.

Among the other national players in the Tenaga side are S. Kumar, Mohamed Amin Rahim, Mohamed Mad zli Ikmar, Faizal Saari and S. Selvaraju.

Baljit plays at rightback for Tenaga and he takes on another vital role in the team as the first runner out when defending penalty corners. His speed makes him an effective stopper and he also plays a similar role for the national team.

And the 25-year-old Baljit takes his duties in the team all in his stride.

“For me, the main thing is to play well and win matches. I like my de fen­sive roles. Most of the Tenaga players are also with the national team and it’s easier understanding each other’s play,” he said.

Baljit was named as the man-of-the-match in the semi-final second-leg last Saturday against Maybank, which ended in a 2-2 for Tenaga to advance 4-3 on aggregate.

“I still have a long way to go to stamp my mark but award like this serves to boost my confidence and encourage me to improve further,” said the Ipoh-born player.

Baljit has a chance to play in Germany after getting an invite to join Second Division outfit Zehlendorser Wespen. He played for them in the 2008 season.

He said that for now he would concentrate on the final and aim to lift another overall title.

“For the moment, I will leave aside the offer from the German club and stay focused on the task to help Tenaga win the title again,” he said.

Source The Star