Recollecting a rare hockey feat when the sport is on its worst gloomy phase might appear a jarring note, but 19th December 1966 is not just another day in a heritage called Indian hockey. The victory achieved on that day at Bangkok Asian Games 40 years ago has enough lessons for us to seek remedy for our Doha disaster.

The 1966 Asiad hockey gold, won under world’s first ever goalkeeper-captain Shankar Laxman (he breathed his last this year at Mhow in Madya Pradesh), is the only occasion when India shone both as the Olympic and Continental Champions.

Mere narration of events and nostalgic recollection of success will be rendered useless unless we introspect the unmistakable bottomline: Why were we successful then and not now?

For that analysis to be meaningful, the history should be studied in its true perspectives. To start with, have open mind. Never discount hockey’s every past victory as a cakewalk and achieved against weak and meek opposition. Nothing can be further from truth. Such a view, though widespread, is a folly, arrived without application of mind, and would deter us from taking lessons from the past.

Solitary goal separated winner from the loser in those natural grass era when every rule was meant to block a goal from being scored. Off-side trap, 11-men penalty corner defence, strict stick rules etc etc exactly did that. At Bangkok in 1966 India won three matches on identical 1-0 scores and two on 3-0. That is, in all 9 goals in 5 matches and the gold was won!! At Doha, even Hong Kong managed more goals than this!

Therefore, believe the fact that competition had been tougher, certainly more than at present. We were winners still because the system we developed and nurtured delivered whereas the present one under the KPS Gill’s regime failed. In fact no system is his system, so to say.

Till 90s, probables were selected after Inter-University and National Championships. The campers were pruned in a phased manner. Coaches were selected following a national debate, and those selected were proven worthies. Duration of their tenure was not beyond controversy, but was never in terms of months and days as of now. Only those who would be with the campers for a specified period could become managers.

Top bosses in the IHF wielded some influence in team selection, but Selection Committee had a say. Teams were selected months in advance, giving time for them to forge as a formidable unit. Teams were ratified by the IHF’s Executive Board, where sizeable of them were really knowledgeable. Even a minor lapse in the procedure invited government’s wrath and getting a tour sanctioned is hell of a job.

The selected team toured India and played against provincial teams before departure, which meant, the best had to be in the team lest they will be exposed. Thus, the Indian players walked heads held high and drew enormous respect among playing community, not to speak of the public. Media wrote about them, the Federation considered such writings their marketing tools.

Managers submitted reports after the tour. Selectors resigned if the results are bad. Players were dropped for bad performances and recall without reasoning is next to impossible. In the event of team failing, there were knee jerk reactions but not another quick tour. The IHF, Government and the All India Council of Sports, which exercised enormous power, followed the axiom ‘defeat breeds defeat’ and therefore never tolerated one. Not everything was rosy or fully perfect, but there was a genuine attempt to be so at least.

And what happens now?

We do everything reverse. Nationals are there if only sponsorships are there. Nationals was held only once between Sydney and Athens Olympics. 2006 Jalandhar Nationals was announced after the Doha Asian Games probables were announced! Anybody can become coach or manager. Virtually. Their tenure is quicksilver. Despite the outcome of their work, they can bounce back any number of times. They thus lose credibility with the players. Getting selected for India is made easy, in most cases selectors don’t even assemble before putting their signature on the team list someone else prepared. Teams leave without any ceremony and return without deserving one. National players talk to media in hushed tone and don’t want their name to be quoted. Unless players play for pride, and for his deserving limelight, nothing can happen.

Objective behind many tours are not known. Experimentation is a ploy present day coaches devised to fool the Federation. Why and what for we played 21 internationals within four months after Athens Olympics fiasco? Government of India gives in writing that they don’t have Manager reports of recent past Olympics and World Cups. Because, those were not simply written!