Germany:Several stars missing yet top billed for title

Glimpses of the German power, precision and speed were on show on Wednesday, as the Olympic champions entered the final leg of preparations in their quest to become the first-ever winners of the inaugural Hero Hockey World League.

The Germans here without a couple of stalwarts, including injured captain Max Muller and Christopher Zeller — and no stars from gold winning Junior World Cup –but are longing to win the League finals which begin at the Major Dhyan Chand Stadium here on Jan 10.

An hour’s training session in the morning showed their mettle. Practice game may not have revealed much of their strategy or set-piece drills but for sure the well-oiled German juggernaut is here to challenge.

The Netherlands and the Aussies are raring to stop the Germans and hosts India and fast-improving Belgium will be the dark horses.

The other star who will be missing the League will be 2012 FIH Player of the Year Moritz Furste, who opted to represent Germany in the EuroHockey Indoor Championship in Vienna.

Oliver Korn will now lead the squad and the 29-year-old attacking midfielder with over 150 caps
for Germany will be the player to watch.

“At this level all the teams are strong and we cannot take any team lightly. Hockey strategy changes from match to match and we are confident. The team is fit and we will strive our best,’’ said the German captain after the Trophy was unveiled at a star hotel here in the afternoon.

The team though has six experienced players who have more than 100 caps in whom coach Markus Weise put his faith to take home the trophy.

“All the teams are coming with a strong line-up and these are teams we will see in World Cup. So this tournament is very important for us as we prepare for the World Cup,’’ said Weise.

Beside the experienced players like Linus Butt (104 caps), Martin Haner (118), Oskar Deecke (157), Tobias Hauke (214), Bengamin Wess and Martin Zwicker, the Germans will have the giant killer whose stunning golden double in the final denied the Netherlands an Olympic gold in London 2012. Power maestro Thilo Stralkowski and the magic scorer Florian Fuchs, the FIH Young Player of 2012, will complete the line-up.

Dan Nguyen Luong with just 8 appearances for Germany is the youngest player at 22 years and the stalwart who guarded the German bar for many a title win will be the senior most player at 34 years. It is a surprise that none of the under-21 boys who won the Junior World Cup here last month are in the senior squad.

Germany won the Hockey World League semifinal at Johor Bahru last year will play New Zealand in Pool A on Jan 10 at 4pm. Then they will play England on Saturday and India, next Monday.

ends