New Delhi: The Indian men’s hockey team might not have been able to earn a direct qualification berth for the 2014 World Cup, but High Performance Director Roelant Oltmans believes “plans will eventually translate into success.” “We need to have a structure in place and work on various aspects, including speed and agility, technique, endurance, mental and physical attributes.”
Saying it is not difficult, but translating it on the field is.
“Work has begun and the blueprint that we are preparing should become our identity in say a few months or a year,” said Oltmans, who was roped in by Indian hockey five months ago.
The Dutchman is considered among the top coaches in the world, and has been handed the responsibility of putting a system in place beginning from the U-21 level in the country. India have cut out a sorry figure in international hockey in the last few years. Besides being inconsistent, a lack of proper structure and style of play seems to be their bane.
Chief coach Michael Nobbs stressed on the importance of playing attacking hockey essentially the Indian and Australian way but later changed track, saying India needed to learn from Olympic champions Germans, who rely on defensive methods.
“We have to identify and play the Indian way, it is very clear,” said Oltmans.
“Now the question is what is the Indian style of play? The High Performance team has been given the task of putting in place a clear curriculum for development and identifying the Indian strengths.
“It is okay to take a few things from the Australians and may be some from the Germans, or say Dutch, but essentially we have to recognise what we are good at. We have a flair for attack, but we have to play with a good eye on the defensive structure.
“We are working on it and Indian hockey will be visible again,” said the 60year-old Dutchman.
The Indian team will reassemble in Bengaluru on July 15, to prepare for the all-important Asia Cup in August.