Is it possible for the Indian hockey team to get back on track?
I am an eternal optimist. I know there is a groundswell of support for hockey, even now. There is an emotional attachment that Indians have for hockey. I am sure that anyone who is connected with hockey in any capacity will desperately want the hockey team back on track soon.
How much of India’s problems would you attribute to the change in coaches?
Coaches should not be changed at the drop of a hat. I agree with Baskaran that coaches can only think up strategy and the players need to execute it. At the end of the day, we players have to take the responsibility for our performance. We need to have the temperament, the physical and mental strength to play at this level.
Then does it have to do with the unstable team composition?
We have had too many changes in the team. I believe the 2001 World Cup winning side was the best batch we have had in a long time. I don’t think that it is a great idea to field a team that is full of youngsters all the time. Look at any team around the world and you will find a balance between experience and youth. It is not always about youth and superior fitness. At the end of the day, players need to be able to play good hockey for all of the 70 minutes.
Do we have players who listen to the coach?
Yes, we have players who can implement good ideas. There is a communication gap between the team management and the players. And it’s a creation of both. We have many players who are afraid of voicing their opinion at team meetings. Sadly, we have a culture where the thrust is on listening to elders; it does not encourage everyone to speak up. The popular notion among coaches, and therefore the federation, is that players who speak up at team meetings are growing too big for their boots.
How has China made such strides as to beat India and Pakistan at the Asian Games?
Of course, China has made rapid strides in less than a year. I remember we had a few practice matches against them last year and we beat them at least by three goals in each of those games. But then, good teams always make progress. We have stagnated, refusing to learn from our mistakes.
