New Indian Express: ACT women triumph shows how far India have progressed, says Hawgood
NEW DELHI: Women’s hockey in India has improved leaps and bounds over the last few years. The team that used to be perennially marred by untimely injuries and controversies now seems to have finally come of age.
The current crop of players under the guidance of coach Neil Hawgood have proved just that after winning the 4th Women’s Asian Champions Trophy. “We were always doing well against Asian sides, be it Korea or China. With this victory, we have proved that we are the best in the continent,” chief coach Hawgood told Express on Thursday.
But there are bigger tasks ahead of the team, and conquering Europe is a dream too far for the relatively inexperienced squad. “We would like to target teams ranked between 5-8 right now. Having said that, the European level is still eight years away from us. Also our junior team didn’t qualify for the World Cup. We need to make sure that the junior team gets going.”
Earlier a team that was dependent on one or two players, they have now silenced critics by winning the continental competition in the absence of star players like Sushila Chanu, Lilima Minz and Namita Toppo, which is a heartening sign going forward. “There was a phase when the team was relying on one or two but we are past that stage now. This tournament has shown us that,” the coach added.
Ritu Rani still in the loop
It was just before the Olympics that Ritu Rani, the youngest player ever to represent India, had broken down on national television for not making it to the Rio squad. And soon after she quit the game. Attitude problem was cited as the main reason for omitting the Haryana girl from the squad. But despite her calling it a day, coach Neil Hawgood believes that she still has more hockey left in her and is still a valuable asset to the team. “Ritu got distracted. She didn’t play a few tournaments before the selection and hence, missed the Rio bus. The decision was hard for me as well. I think she is still a good player and has a lot to offer,” he said.
Brushing aside the controversy, the Australian feels that her experience will come in handy for the team if she decides to return. “If she comes back, a lot of others will benefit from her presence. This retirement is not a full term retirement.”