The Hindu : Sport / Hockey : What next?

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jun 10, 2005

Sport

Sport - Hockey

What next? — For the umpteenth time

S. Thyagarajan

CHENNAI: What next? There is a rhetorical ring to this question. Times without number it has manifested whenever an Indian hockey team returned after an unsuccessful campaign. It has surfaced now without a convincing answer. The official reaction, somewhat predictably, touches on the few bright spots and concludes that nothing was amiss or to be ashamed of about the fifth place among the seven in the Azlan Shah tournament.

There was a lament about not fielding the best team owing to injuries and the junior World Cup camp. The few moments against Pakistan in the second half and defeat against Australia by the narrowest of margins are cited as factors good enough to project the team as a strong entity for a podium finish.

Just illusions

Such assumptions are nothing but illusions, aimed at offering a temporary relief to mollify the feelings of a disturbed fraternity. The fact that the team played miserably, especially against Malaysia and Korea, cannot be obliterated.

Every team in the tournament can get away with an excuse. Australia, the eventual winner, was without its full-back Matthew Wells, injured on the eve of the tournament; striker Troy Elder was serving a suspension. Bevan George was also unavailable. With the three best not in the fray, Australia still managed to retain the trophy.

Korea was a new look team without the seniors like Song, but clawed its way back into the final. Pakistan too was in a similar plight after the retirement of Sohail Abbas.

A dejected Indian spectator, now living in Perth was furious when one attempted to explain away the team's shoddy performance against Malaysia and Korea.

"If you cannot find two substitutes for Viren Resquinha and Vikram Pillay, please do not come for such tournaments. I have lived in Delhi for enough number of years before moving to Australia; and I know the rot in your hockey," was his retort as he walked towards the train at Bukit Jalil.

Loss of image

It is this loss of image and credibility among international audience that the IHF should be concerned about than expressing satisfaction over the showing regardless of the ratings.

Every outing endures a spell of post-mortem. And then silence engulfs the whole atmosphere until the next disaster. The camps prior to the competitions are becoming redundant. Whatever errors that coaches are to correct remain, making one wonder whether any corrective work had been undertaken at all. Only our players are yet to master the skill of taking the free hit without lifting the ball. Invariably it happens from corners making the whole exercise of moving into the zone a waste of time and energy.

New approach needed

Crying over split milk, one may ask. But with a hectic programme, including the Champions Trophy ahead on home soil, the administration should come out of this cocoon of complacency and re-set the approach that mirrors a trace of realism.

Whatever the merits, or otherwise of Rajinder Singh (jr), fixing the tenure for him till World Cup 2006 puts an end to one debate on chief coach. His Azlan Shah assignment was an ad hoc arrangement.

Soft spoken and genial, Rajinder Singh (jr), carried on with quiet dignity. But as a coach he needs to imbibe a lot of ideas by seeing various other teams perform to the programmes designed by coaches like Australia's Barry Dancer.

Former chief coach, V. Baskaran, who was in Kuala Lumpur as a nominee of the IHF, provided the team management with copious inputs after every match. Presumably, the IHF will continue this arrangement of nominating a senior, experienced ex-coach or coaches to help Rajinder Singh (jr) in important competitions.

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