HK forced to pull out of Macau tourney
Hong Kong has withdrawn from the Macau International Tournament in Taipa due to unavailability of players.
The nine-day event (starting this Saturday) at the Taipa Hockey Stadium, which is sanctioned by the International Hockey Federation (FIH), will now have seven teams.
'We don't have enough players. About half of the core players in the national team are not available,' explained Billy Dillon, vice-president of the Hong Kong Hockey Association (HKHA).
He added that some players are playing in the Malaysian Hockey League.
'It's not justice to the tournament if we send a weak team,' he stressed.
The Hong Kong team have a hectic schedule as they will take part in the Samsung Cup, to be held in Singapore from August 25 to 28, and the All China Games in late September, followed by the East Asian Games in Macau in October.
Hong Kong has not played an international match in nearly two years and lacking match practice.
'We are amateurs,' Dillon pointed. 'We have committed to the three to four tournaments and have taken leave for those games already. None of these players can afford [to take more days off work].'
He believed the withdrawal would not again affect the relationships with former Portuguese colony.
But Macau Hockey Association's president Frederico Nolasco expressed his disappointment.
'What better preparation could Hong Kong get for the East Asian Games in Macau and [the] All China Games?' he asked.
Hong Kong's international midfielder Chris Marshall said he respected the coach and manager's decision, and said 'we could still play against some top teams such as Malaysia and Singapore in August'.
'The training schedule has already been set and there's not much we can do,' he said. The other teams in the tournament are 2000 Olympic silver medallists South Korea, Japan, China, Taiwan, Oman, Macau and Singapore.
