The Hindu : Sport / Tennis : Carvalho and Prabodh exude confidence

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jun 10, 2007
ePaper

Sport

Sport - Tennis

Carvalho and Prabodh exude confidence

Special Correspondent

Joaquim Carvalho. — PHOTO: V. Sreenivasa Murthy

BANGALORE: As the Indian hockey team prepared to leave for Germany on Sunday, coach Joaquim Carvalho and skipper Prabodh Tirkey exuded confidence of putting up a good show in the Champions Challenge tournament which gets underway at Boom, Belgium, from June 23. The squad plays a few practice matches in Düsseldorf before moving on to Boom.

While Carvalho was satisfied with the team's intensive training at SAI (South) Centre in Kengeri, near here, he cautioned that the squad couldn't take the task lightly. "Given the tough schedule and format besides a stronger field than at Ipoh, we have to do well in each match and every point counts,'' said the coach. He felt that the team was overall a well-balanced one and the addition of Sandeep Singh and Dilip Tirkey has bolstered it.

Combining well

Prabodh, who is on his second assignment as a skipper after the Azlan Shah tournament, opined that the team has jelled well and the bronze winning effort at Ipoh has made them more determined to do well. " We expect to play much better at Boom and the boys are confident and the team is stronger in the midfield and can play a positive and attacking game."

The skipper added that all players are in a good frame of mind and there were no worry on the fitness count as well.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Sport