Saturday January 12, 2013

Fickle-minded Dangerous is back in Project 2013 hockey squad

By S. RAMAGURU

KUALA LUMPUR: Sarawak’s Dangerous Lee, who pulled out of the Project 2013 squad on Monday, has made a U-turn and returned to training at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil.

Project 2013 team manager Mirnawan Nawawi confirmed yesterday that the player had changed his mind and been back in training since Thursday.

Dangerous pulled out because he felt that he had no chance of being selected.

“He has apologised for his actions and asked to rejoin the training. It was his own decision and, as long as he has realised his mistake, we’ll try to help him,” said Mirnawan.

The team management have also arranged for him a session with a sports psychologist in a bid to try and understand the player’s self-doubt about his abilities.

“This is the third time he has pulled out. I believe he needs help and we’ll try help him in any way we can. We’re not sure how many sessions he will have with the psychologist but it doesn’t matter as long as it helps him,” said Mirnawan.

“Lee understands that every player has a chance to make the cut for the final team and we have 11 months to get ready for the Junior World Cup. Naturally, he has the talent but perhaps he feels he’s fighting a losing battle.”

The Sarawak-born player first withdrew from the team in 2010 after playing in the Surjit Singh Memorial Cup in India, citing the same reason he gave on Monday.

In 2011, the Bukit Jalil Sports School (BJSS) player decided to rejoin the team. But he pulled the same trick again early last year, this time citing his pre-university studies in BJSS as the reason.

Then in October, the 21-year-old wrote to the team management asking to be given another chance with the team.

Dangerous, who featured in the All India Ubaidullah Khan Gold Cup in Bhopal last month, then quit for a third time by sending a text message to Dharmaraj.

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