I cannot put my finger to it but there is something missing in the team. There is no spark – as we say in hockey parlance, there is no “current” when the team is playing. The body language is just not what it was even a month ago.
Even the boys do not know what is happening. Yes, the turf here is very fast and the team’s recovery is slow but that does not explain the number of mispasses. No team can miss so many chances and hope to win.
We played well for just 60 minutes in the first match but that is no indicator of the general form or mood. We have played poorly in the whole tournament. We have improved as far as penalty corner conversion is concerned in the last year. But the forwards are not being able to get penalty corners here. This is inexplicable.
I remember some years ago, the team would at least get 10 penalty corners in a match in a match and would hardly convert one. Today, our conversion rate is almost 40 per cent. But the penalty corners are not coming. I told the boys that if you are missing easy chances at least go for penalty corners but the boys are unable to do it. Penalty corners help us in putting pressure on our rivals.
I’m disappointed with the performance of the senior players, they should have used their experience to make a difference here.
Anyway, this is no time to look for excuses. The poor performance could be due to over confidence or due to exhaustion. We have been playing non stop hockey for the past three months. And still, I take full responsibility for the poor show.
There are a lot of areas we still have to work on. When the team is winning every one tends to forget about the grey areas. There are quite a few lessons for us here and we are going to go back and work on them.
A lot of former players I met here told me India are looking good – after the first two games. After that, I have not had the heart to discuss issues with anyone.
Look at Australia, they struggled in Cologne, looked an average team in Sydney and Perth and even here, looked out of depth in the first two games. Suddenly, they are looking like the best team here. Even Pakistan. They have settled down quite well. Their forwards are playing better than they were two months ago. It is all a confidence thing. They are winning and hence gelling better.
But this is a cycle. We were playing well for long and have slipped here. We will get up and do much in the coming tournaments. This is a bunch of very talented boys.
Friday is crucial for us, as we will be playing for the pride of the country. We are getting ready for the Pakistan game. In fact, having lost three games we should not be under pressure but a game against Pakistan is unlike any other.
Even in my playing days, I remember every player prepared himself mentally, differently for the Pakistan game. We will be wary of Sohail Abbas and also their forwards. I still remember the 1982 Champions Trophy match when I scored a hat-trick and we won 5-4. I would want my boys to do something like that. They are feeling a bit low and I decided to give them a break.
I asked to relax and look ahead – probably go out shopping, think of anything but hockey. I’m sure by tomorrow they will be ready for what is always the biggest match for us.