Asia Cup win on top of Oltmans’s mind
TNN

BANGALORE: Roelant Oltmans is a man in a hurry. A high performance director and coach who would prefer to work 48 hours in a day. Handed the unenviable task of preparing the men’s national team for the Asia Cup hockey tournament next month in Ipoh, he has sought realistic expectations from the nation, total dedication from the squad and nothing less than a triumph in the continental tournament.

With very little time at his disposal, he said he would whittle the number of probables down to a more manageable 25 in two weeks before getting cracking with the Asia Cup core.

Excerpts:

You have your task cut out for Asia Cup.

The next six weeks will be important. We will have to work without distractions. It is a long time ago that the Indian men’s team won a tournament. So our focus from Day One is to have the best possible performance at the Asia Cup. The group is big right now. In about two weeks’ time we will reduce it and give that team the last four weeks to prepare.

Is it a new beginning?

Everybody starts from scratch. It’s up to them to convince us. We will make a few changes, make it a little bit different. We will play a little different than we have done before but I am looking for a fresh flow in the team. Skill-wise too, we have to do a number of things. The atmosphere is good and the boys are hungry and eager. I spoke to a few of them and they are keen on doing well. But they have to improve, that’s clear. We did the physical tests today – we had a certain minimum target and we are just above that at the moment. In two-three weeks’ time we will raise that.

Have you set targets for the team?

I’ve made one thing clear. We’re going there to win the Asia Cup. We’re not even talking about the World Cup. The World Cup is next year; it is of no interest at the moment. I can’t control winning or losing but I can prepare my team in the best possible way such that we have the highest chance of winning. I can’t promise anyone that we will win. But everyone in the country will see that the boys will work their hearts out every single minute – whether in practice or the real game.

Will there be a change in style?

We always talk about Australian, European, Korean styles. I don’t know what that is. We are Indians. We will play in a way that uses the strengths of the Indian players. It doesn’t have anything to do with Australia or Europe. It is our own way of playing. India is India, not Holland or Germany or Australia. And that’s what we’ll prove.

Indian expectations are always high…

You have to be realistic. We go to a major tournament and you already think you’re coming back with the medal. Ridiculous. We’re No. 12 in the world. In the last 40 years, India hasn’t won anything. Even in Rotterdam, we were ranked sixth and we finished sixth. I don’t think we’ll win such a tournament now. In future, we will, 100%. But understand it takes some time.