How did India lose to China in the Kuantan Asia Cup, a study
I happen to witness India – China hockey match at Kuantan on 12 May 09. Defending champion India had to win to reach the semis of the Asia Cup while China needed just a draw. Ultimately, India drew the match, did a favour to the Chinese while it had to cut a sorry figure going out of medal contention too early in the tournament.
Here are the reasons for Indians to draw the match, as I saw them. I may be right or wrong, but what I felt needs deeper look and debate.
Warming up before the match: a fault by the Trainer
When we arrived at Kuantan stadium – Indian team was training in afternoon heat at 1430 hrs, Trainer was making players run in swapping heat . Chinese were not even on the field.
In the second half of the match, Indians were running low on energy and Chinese were all over on field. Indian s were huffing and puffing on field and slowing down to catch their breadth .For each Indian player there were 2 Chinese players. That’s where the match was actually being lost.
Indians warming up really hard in heat before the match and no Chinese players on the pitch for warm up,
On Indian coach Harendra Singh:
Every time his strategy is to attack and attack. Very good strategy – but it is only good if he tells them how to do that!
As usual every time Indian lose or draw, he blasted his team for not playing attacking hockey.
At Kuantan too, he aired his vent on the team for not playing attacking hockey. I don’t think the team was less on the count of attacking. India did play attacking brand of hockey; even in last 50 sec India had a penalty corner, it could not have come about without attacking.
However, Indians ran out of ideas how to penetrate the ‘Great Wall’ of China.
What were Indian coach alternative – here is one – Dhanraj Pillay made enough of shouting from Indian bench – “boys put your sticks in”. Does coach tell player – how to attack? i wonder. It was obvious from first match between Pakistan and China that the Chinese won’t give space for forwards. But the lessons were not observed and followed.
Did Indian coach devise any plan to break Chinese defense. I do not think so. Indian forward had no clue.
All Indian Attack are from left or right flank, Chinese are aware of that, they simply had to block side lines and Indian forwards are clueless.
Penalty corner
Capt. Sandeep Singh scored first two goals by drag flicking ball to left high of Chinese goal keeper in first half. On 4th PC in last minutes, when Sandeep Singh was taking the flick, I said to myself, come on Sandeep do not flick on left of goal keeper. Sandeep did flick on left and Chinese GK was ready, raising his left hand in anticipation even before the ball left Sandeep’s stick, the goal was saved. Coach is answerable for that (The picture at the bottom captures how the last minute penalty corner was saved).
On Chinese Goals
Although when Indian were leading 2-1 and Pc was saved by Indians – a unnecessary foul was committed just out side the striking circle and hit was awarded to Chinese and ball was hit in the circle after back pass . There were eight Indians in striking circle and four Chinese. Still ball went between Indian defenders and one of the Chinese moved and he had to only goal keeper to beat with simplest of the task in the world for equalizing goal.
Even the first goal was a result of PC and ball rolled in slow motion over the goal line as whole Indian defense watched as if frozen.
Indian hockey needs drastic changes and it has to come at fast pace, just like ball on hockey pitch. Other wise we will need to content with qualifier only.
Video link:
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/2945303/asia_cup_hockey_2009_why_india_loss/
5 Comments
This study is just subjective….
Firts of all the game starts at 3.00 pm. The players got to do warm up for atleast 20-25 min – which includes stretches, jog, bit of skill, goal shooting, PC’s and small area game) at least 40 min before the start of the game. Because, just 10 min before the game starts, the players has to get ready for TD’s stick check’s and bit of refreshing. It was unfortunate that the heat and humidity was taking a toll of players. But then, Chinese team also would have entered the ground almost at the same time for warm up… It is quite surprising to see the author has mentioned that the team was not there… Did he find out if the Chinese team had done warm up some where else? So warm up is the responsibility of the trainer and I think he has done his duty. I dont know if there was enough shade or indoor hall in Kuantan to do warm up. Was any observation done on the amount of warm up they did? But however, I think the previous day the pakistan coach also commented for his teams draw against china was due to the weather as they practised in pakistan only under floodlights for Asia cup preparations. Perhaps, had India come 2 weeks before and had an experience of playing under this hot situation, it would have help the players to get adapted to the enviroment.
For every coach, there may be some startegies fixed, Rajender singh used to play attacking hockey. In the same way, Harendra feels that attack is the best form of defense and if you are leading 2-1, unless you have 2 goal difference you cannot relax. Hence, the coach always wants his team to attack. Just observe the spectators, they would always want there team to attack and score goals.. So if the coach has that strategy in mind – it is defined and the team has to play according to his defined strategies. You have stated that India went into attack from right and left flank.. if they have done that – then it is a good thing that they have done as they did really stretch the team in the
Dear Stone man
Thanks for your comments.
One must always remember Situation awareness .Stretching is one thing and getting exhausting another. Above article based on true facts .Please do watch the video in the link and if you require further clarification please pass me your e mail. You may search in Google with My name to contact me.
I put another 3 pages stuff’s along with the down part… but all seems to be missing… I shall put it up once again…about the analysis
Dear Stoneman, this part is for brief comments,the sytem cannot and will not take more than certain number of words. You perhaps exceeded this limit. My suggestion to you would be, why don’t you write an article covering all the points you want to convey, that will have better visibility and readability. we are open to every type of article and opinion because this site feels it is the reader who have to ulitmately take his or her opinion, this site’s duty to provide a platfrom for that.
You have stated that coach always wanted to attack and the team went into attack from right and left flank.. if they have done that – then it is a good thing that they have done as they did really stretch the team in the defense. The principle of attack does state to increase the width in attack so that penetration was much easier. As too much of centre attack would make the defense to be crowded. I think India did have an equal amount of attack from both right and left. The coach can say and train how to attack from both right and left, but Indian players are not stereo typed players as that of the Europeans. They have more varieties than Europeans. It is easy to have a stereo typed system to be countered easily than one on which they have variation. If not for the stereo typed players, needs super fitness to undertake such a demand. The only thing here is that the players should have the quality of critical thinking to do things which can lead to goals or attempts. Small area games in this respect need to be drilled in to the players which certainly would develop critical thinking and decision making. It is not quantitative training lead to performance but quality. But then, it is not always the attack will fetch you result or goal but may be 1-2 chances out of many such attacks would bring you the result. Few years back I remember one of the leading State hockey association secretaries made a comment on Harendra Singh saying that he was more of a defensive coach. But then he was building up his juniors and now when he has switched on to attack mode you claim that he is always attacking?