Terry Walsh: Multiple ‘peaks’ in a year not possible

Every four years, Asian hockey teams have to confront at least three major tournaments in a year each one having its own high stakes. With World Cup, Commonwealth Games and Asian Games this year most Asian teams are expected to do well in all the three, besides there is Champions Trophy or Asian Champions Trophy if qualified.

“Having so many teams in a calender year is too much. A player or team cannot peak multiple times. How many times do a team show peak performance? One, two, three? Not possible beyond one, at best two if ther is good gap.” Terry Walsh, High Performance Director of Malaysian hockey, said speaking exclusively to www.stick2hockey.com

What is the way out?

“Organizers need to understand this. National Federations should understand this while analysing the teams. Nations must prioritize their targets differently, not the way they now do it”.

Terry Walsh, himself an established star, has vast knowledge of hockey beyond Australia. He has worked in different capcities in the States, Netherlands, India and Malaysia before coming back to Malaysia again four years ago. He was Malaysia’s first foreign coach, India’s first Anglo-Indian coach.

During his coaching tenure, India won the Asian Games at Incheon four years ago.

Speaking on the Indian glory at Incheon, the veteran, who is here in Jakarta, said that the Asian Games was targetted, Commonwealth Games was used as a trial.

“Our target then was soley Asian Games. Its good we reached the finals also there. I feel that affected us in the Asian Games. India-Pakistan match was stretched one, had to be decided by shoot out”.

“It could have gone either way. Its good it went our way”