Gill questions logic of playing weaker opponents
NEW DELHI: Indian hockey team may have been registering thumping victories over Australian state sides in their ongoing tour Down Under but dissol
ved Indian Hockey Federation chief KPS Gill feels the results against lowly outfits will hardly benefit the team.
“I feel playing against weaker teams and posting big margin wins is of no use for the senior team. If they want to give real exposure to the players, they should play against strong, formidable opponents,” Gill said.
“Ric Charlesworth had mentioned earlier that he would be surprised if India don’t post comprehensive victories against the less formidable state teams.”
In their tour Down Under, Sandeep Singh-led India demolished the combined state team of New South Wales and Queensland 8-1 in the first match on Saturday and then thrashed them 7-0 in the second match on Sunday.
They will next take on the Australian Development Squad in two back-to-back matches on Tuesday and the day after in Brisbane after which they will leave for New Zealand on a four-Test series.
Gill observed that in the recent past India have always done well in tournaments involving three or four countries but when it came to the bigger stage like the Olympics and World Cup, they have faltered.
“India have always played well in three or four-nation tournaments. For example, just before the 2004 Olympics we beat Germany in a four-nation event and played exceedingly well against Holland”, Gill said.
“But see their performance in Athens Olympics, they finished seventh,” he said.
He also lamented the absence of a state-of-the-art training centre for the game in the country.
“Unfortunately, we don’t have proper training facilities in India. There is no good centre for physical enhancement of the players, just putting an astro-turf is not enough,” Gill quipped.
“When we sent the team for training in Phoenix before Athens Olympics they had more or less everything there, but what they lacked was an astro-turf and a good opposition.
“When the team returned, I took the players’ feedback and they were satisfied with the physical aspect. But to excel in the game, you need both physical as well as hockey aspects,” he added.
Asked about Spaniard Jose Brasa being tipped to become India’s overseas coach, Gill said, “Every coach has his or her point of view and their working style varies. Some coaches may be good for the team while some may not.
“But the Spanish coach’s demand for improved infrastructure and scientific back up is something desirable.”
Asked about the ongoing legal tussle between the defunct IHF and the ad-hoc committee in charge of the game, Gill said, “The ad-hoc committee have been asked by the court to show the rule which enables a society to take over another society.
“The next hearing of the case is on March 2 and I am optimistic. But whatever’s the court’s verdict, we will abide by it.”