"There needs to be a hierarchy in hockey development" - Dr Saju Joseph, Ex Coach, Indian Hockey

Do you adopt any different approaches for different games in analysing technique?

Different sports have different physical, technical and tactical demands. Therefore, the approaches need to be different. For example, in the case of swimmers or synchronized swimmers – we do use underwater camera to analyse their individual technique executions and give suggestions and rectification workout accordingly, so that they could maximise their performance. Based on the technical movements inside water, the training programmes are designed accordingly.

You have specialised in training goal keepers and drag flickers. Do you think further specialised coaching is possible for best performance by Indian hockey players?

Yes. Most of the Indian flickers and goalkeepers train isolated. There is no specific training which is done by them, other than the coach giving shooting drills to goalkeepers or asking the drag flickers to train in quantity. There is no quality feed back for each save or goal conceded for goalkeeper or a goal scored or quality and issues of the flick in case of a drag flicker. There needs to be specialized coaching programmes, workshops, clinics and practical sessions for goalkeepers and drag flickers. If any one in the country could come out with a concept of goalkeepers’ academy or drag flickers academy – it would do a lot good for Indian hockey.

By virtue of your competent coaching and physical fitness training, India has won Gold, Silver and Bronze medals on many an occasion. Are you optimistic about a string of victories for the Indian hockey team even in future?

One thing we need to believe is that Indian hockey can excel in future, as there is no dearth in quality of hockey players, money, job opportunities, domestic hockey tournaments and hockey facilities in India. The issue is the set up of the administration and a system of approach which is to be streamlined. There needs to be a hierarchy in hockey development – in terms of coaching, education, career development, grass root and academies, competitions and age group competitions, seminars, workshops and even creating a benevolent fund. If we have a sound system, there is nothing which can stop us from re-surging.

In the golden era of Dhyan Chand, advanced scientific support, technical coaching and fitness training was absent. What is the secret of hockey highs and heights of those days?

Those days, hockey was an artistic game and we did have skillful hockey players who could do magic on grass. The technique superseded fitness then, on the grass field. The dimensions of the hockey stick and the playing surface assisted the Asians in executing the skills, especially the Indian dribble and dodging skills. The change in the rules of the game, the ground conditions- switching over to artificial turf, the dimensions of the stick (the curve aspect) has considerably effected the natural skill and have turned out to be a fitness and tactical oriented game. The off sides rule made it possible for a player to carry the ball for long then – and tackling was limited moreover to a guess due the grassy and bounce conditions.

The other part of the world woke up and did do a lot of research, ways and means to counter Indian dominance. They worked more on to fitness compensating the skill aspect and training skills which are just basic enough to play the game was concentrated upon. Change in the rules of the game, turf conditions, added technology in coaching and scientific monitoring revolutionized the game and helped them to emerge themselves as hockey power at the same time, the Indian community still salvaged on to their old system and glory.

I am quite sure – if we bring back hockey to natural turf conditions and still sticking on with old rules and regulations of the game we could still excel in hockey. In tennis we have grass court, clay court and artificial court competitions with bare minimum changes in rules of the game from yester years. Why not have the same type of competitions in hockey?