The Hindu : Sport / Hockey : IHF to form core group for the future

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Friday, Jul 22, 2005

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Sport - Hockey

IHF to form core group for the future

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: The Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) in consultation with the Sports Authority of India (SAI) is to select 150 boys to form the core group for the future. "The selection is to get a team ready for the under-21 World Cup in 2009. The boys will be selected from the centres in Imphal, Rourkela, Bhopal, Lucknow, Chandigarh, Hyderabad, Tamil Nadu and Mumbai. The SAI will provide the scientific support to select the players with best physical requirements for hockey," said the IHF president, K.P.S. Gill, at a press conference here on Thursday.

The selection is expected to be done over the next two months. "We have about 50 to 60 world class players, and our effort is raise the number to match those days when we had 10 to 11 players for each position," said Gill.

To host Malaysia

It was announced that India would host Malaysia in a five-Test series of which two would be played by the Indian junior team. "The junior team is likely to go abroad for a short trip and return before the Test series", said Gill.

He also conceded that it was perhaps a mistake in the past to have mixed the juniors with the seniors after the Indian junior teams finished runner-up in Milton Keynes and emerged champion in Hobart. "We didn't want to break up the junior team. We want them to go up together. There was a tussle between the juniors and seniors and the performance went down," said Gill.

As part of the centenary celebration of Major Dhyan Chand's birthday on August 29, the Indian junior team will play a match against the Indian team bound for the mini World Cup in Netherlands.

Drag-flickers

"We are trying to have as many drag-flickers as possible, because of the tragic experience we had with Jugraj Singh. The team depended on him and suffered a lot after his accident. Sandeep had an accident before the Olympics and had 13 stitches. He couldn't compete in the Olympics the way we wanted," said Gill, as he announced that Gurusevak Singh had been called from Mumbai for the same purpose.

When asked about coaches, Gill stated that the current coach would continue at the moment, and that foreign coaches were not being considered for financial reasons as well. "Our team didn't lack anything as compared to those trained by the renowned coaches in the junior World Cup. Foreign coaches are expensive also," said Gill.

Gill clarifies

When asked about Gagan Ajit Singh and Kanwalpreet Singh being recalled after being banned for disciplinary reasons, Gill clarified that both the players had regretted their action and that the association supported their case.

Meanwhile, the Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) has allotted both the under-16 and under-18 Asia Cup tournaments to India, the defending champion in both events. The under-16 tournament will be held in Hyderabad and the under-18 in Rourkela.

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