National stadium abuzz with activity

Three air-con buses greet as you enter national stadium from the main gate. An ambulance, and a mini bus together with 4, 5 cars further add up to the welcome scene.

The national training camp for men with unmanageable 63 players is going on with the deserved intensity. Since a couple of days, women camp also picked up, the wait of CR Kumar, the new women’s coach, is over, as each day the number of trainees increase.

The men campers are in two hotels, one in Samrat, the new batch of 21 players in Rajdoot hotel, while women are put up in the former. That’s why there are three air-con buses.

The Sports Authority of India, which foots the bill and also arranged everything, also placed a lady doctor, a couple of assistants and an ambulance at the camp site. This is in addition to presence of tried and tested Shrikant Iyenkar, the teams’ physio.

Yesterday, as Tushar got an injury, the ambulance was driven right up to the duck out to carry him to x-ray facility.

From the day one there were about 40 boys. Last Friday about 21 other players were invited which made the camp bulky and unmanageable.

The 21-list includes veterans like Harpal Singh, William Xalxo, Vikram Kanth, Birendra Lakra Sr.. Also included are many youngsters who did good job in the junior ranks in the past and also spotted during the recent Ranchi National Games.

However, on the face of it, it looks asking them to undergo trails within 24 hours of their landing is a ritual, not done full-heartedly. Especially in the context that they were not in the reckoning zone for quite some time, nay years.

Most of these boys should have been in Under-21 team or development teams, with sole exceptions of some. However, clubbing everyone in one go does not sound a sound decision excepting a ritual is being staged. For some very young players of age 18, 19, this sudden burst into senior team could have spoilt their morale or otherwise. There is a need to groom talent step wise, not this dramatic or traumatic way

The trails started on Monday and Tuesday. Though four sessions were planned the Monday evening program had to be half-done due to lighting problem.

It is worth while to know here that the teams practice in the late evenings, normally 6-9 PM, under floodlights. Two turfs in the stadium have this facility, so both chief coaches – Harendra Singh and CR Kumar – go about their job independent of each other.

On Tuesday evening, the full strength selectors were in attendance, may be in all sessions about which am not sure.

Col. Balbir Singh, omnivorous BP Govinda, Syed Ali, AB Subbaiah witnessed matches between the teams, formed as per their wish. New government observers Dilip Tirkey and Harbinder Singh were also present. There were sitting at the top row of the heritage block, which gives full view of the field.

Chief coach Harendra Singh, who sports spectacle, is busy with his lap top and was seen spotted with discussion with the selectors, often coming down and instructing players on various counts.

As the Tuesday evening trails come to a close, Hockey India bigwigs Narendra Batra and Rajeev Mehta were there, often engaging Rajpal Singh.

On the Chhidia Ghar end, teams goalkeeper coach, for a change, was doing videography.

A couple of days ago, the teams underwent psychological tests.

Also not to be forgotten is, all members have been asked to sign a six-page contract, about which later.