Pillay and Ghulati should come out with detailed reports

India played two major tournaments recently, one in May and the other last week.

Indian Hockey Federation, Hockey Adhoc Committee of the Indian Olympic Association, and now the Unidentified Foreign Object (UFO) called the Hockey India, whatever the organization, they all spent all their time and energy to prepare teams for the Asia Cup and Junior World Cup. When teams won some minors en route, they claimed their administration brought laurels to the country through proper planning and hardwork, took the team to the doors of Union Sports Minister for sabashi.

Government of India spent whatever these parent bodies wanted, even going beyond its means to meet the demands.

There were many preparatory tours, long special camps, selectors flown to trials; however the results are there for everyone to see – simply disastrous.

Coaches and selectors got total freedom. There were not even any gossips around as to any administrators ever indulged in any form of favouritism insofar as team selection was concerned.

Yet India fared badly at both Asia Cup and Junior Cup. From defending champions to the former to respectable 4th position in the latter last time, we finished way below now.

Someone should tell us what went wrong, what remedies are proposed, and what next?

It is the duty of the official managers, who in all purpose, is the chef the mission of these tours. They are the people supposed to see everything in a proper perspective and enlighten us.

Thankfully, the managers we had for the Asia Cup and Junior World Cup are not run of the mill stuff, not from the stable of some defunct State Hockey Associations.

Dhanraj Pillay was the manager for the former, his credentials need no narration, and then hockey commentator Anupam Ghulati for the latter.

Will they write a passionate and unbiased report as to what went wrong?

Will they add few useful suggestions as well in their reports?

Let us wait and see

Unless they do something, despite their career image their trips will be considered jaunt, no different from any free loaders we saw in the past.

Both losing coaches Harendera Singh and AK Bansal took the responsibility for the fiascos, and then went into business as usual mode.

We earnestly hope Pillay and Ghulati don’t court business as usual path.