Yet again another lost hockey generation

The fallacy of banking on youngsters:

Youngsters basically mean a buildup of the team with minimal to moderate expectations. This has to be explained to them and the nation. Again, due consideration should be given to quality and the need of the hour. To subject the player to the rigors of national team’s international competitions without previous exposure can lead to very disastrous consequences, as happened with India.

Judicious mixture of seniors with youngsters is always a better solution. The fight between two associations and the singular exclusion of all seniors, except for deficient but loyal ones, did not help matters.

Style of play:

1. Over dependence on Sardar Singh, making him do everything – a decidedly dangerous tactic. Not only is he putting in huge minutes which will shorten his career, but also, with no backup, in case he’s out of form, injured or indisposed, India is basically at half strength.

Another very serious problem is that with Sardar Singh in full attack mode, the weak Indian defense is subjected to a very dangerous counterattack when he and his men are stopped. It would be more beneficial for him to dump the ball from a deeper position and to develop inter-midfield play, rather than carry the ball and do “midfield to always forward” play.

2. Long, hard hits into the circle, hoping for a lucky deflection into goal – a primary reason for the lack of consistency of the Indian team. This style of play yields very little and harms team build up play.

Exposure to foreign lands and lessons learnt from cricketing success

Our cricketers are routinely playing in foreign leagues. Mr. Oltmans’ complaint can easily be settled if players with European experience were selected. We have a number of players with solid European experience, including Vinay and Cheeyena (Barcelona), Mahadik (Germany, Austria) and the Walmiki brothers (Germany). Also, it would help if they are played in their traditional positions – Yuvraj in midfield and Uthappa in centre half.

Cricket has a tremendous pool of players to select from, what with small streets and towns and villages all teeming with cricket players. Where there is plenty there is a chance for quality. There have been no visible plans afoot even in the traditional high interest states like Karnataka, Orissa and Punjab to revive school hockey and recreational hockey.

There are great fears that qualification for the World Cup is already lost. There is ample evidence to confirm that. There are many reasons for this predicament. It behooves all well-meaning Indian hockey supporters to pay attention to them so that they are not repeated. The time has come to concentrate on the youngsters.

God save Indian hockey.