Tirkey ‘hurt’ by Aslam’s comments

Former captain Dilip Tirkey today expressed his disappointment over ad-hoc committee member Aslam Sher Khan’s remarks on senior players, saying that such comments in the middle of a tournament can hurt the morale of a team.

During the recently concluded four-nation Punjab Gold Cup, former Olympian Aslam Sher Khan had said that the seniors must perform else they show quit the game.

His remarks were not liked by many with the Sports Minister MS Gill warning the administrators to stay away from such comments especially in the middle of a tournament.

”I really felt bad with his comments,” Tirkey said here today.

”During the middle of a tournament, I think such remarks should not have come because it can disrupt the morale of the team especially when the players were playing so well,” he added.

The former captain further asserted that he was satisfied with the performance of the seniors in the hockey Gold Cup, where India finished runners-up losing to European Champions Netherlands 1-2 in the final.

Tirkey admitted that the current Indian team has been doing well but there were a few areas which needed to be worked out.

”We played good and attacking hockey. If you see the number of goals that we hit majority of them were field goals.

”I guess we conceded a few short corners which could have been avoided and we need to use Sandeep’s talent in a much better way.

”We are playing well and hopefully we’ll soon see a rise in the rankings as well,” Tirkey, who was here with the whole Indian team which will leave for Australia later tonight to play a two-Test series, replied.

From Australia, India will head towards New Zealand where they will a four-Test series against the Kiwis.

If fitness permits, Tirkey said, he would like to give another shot at the 2010 World Cup as he plans to continue his playing career for another year.

”I want to play for another year but that depends on my fitness and yes, if every things goes fine, I will play the next year’s World Cup,” he conceded. — UNI
Courtesy: Tribune