Times of India: Coach Oltmans is hurting Indian hockey: Ashish Ballal
By Vivek Krishnan
CHENNAI: As Ashish Ballal sat down for a chat at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium here on Monday, some pleasant memories came flooding back for the former India goalkeeper. Ballal, who is the coach of Bengaluru Hockey Association for the ongoing MCC-Murugappa Gold Cup hockey tournament, had started his senior career at this very tournament all the way back in 1987. Now, he is making his first appearance as coach in this tournament.
“I started my senior career for Karnataka at this very tournament exactly 30 years ago. When I was playing here, I remember that the India probables for the Junior World Cup had been announced and I was picked. I have very fond memories of this tournament. I have worked as coach with the Bengaluru team in the past, but this is my first MCC-Murugappa Cup as coach,” Ballal told TOI on Monday.
The discussion soon veered towards the upcoming goalkeepers in the country and current coach Roelant Oltmans, and Ballal turned serious. With PR Sreejesh being plagued by injuries of late, Ballal feels, there is no suitable understudy to take over the mantle.
“After Sreejesh, I don’t think there is anyone to take over the mantle. Where is the talent? Between Akash Chikte and Suraj Karkera, who have been picked in the India squad for the upcoming tour of Europe, they don’t even have 10 appearances of 70 minutes each. That is the gap now,” he rued.
The 46-year-old, who made more than 250 appearances for India including in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, pins the blame for the current “crisis” largely on Oltmans.
“Oltmans is responsible for the void between the senior and junior level. He has damaged the system and taken Sports Authority of India (SAI) for a ride. He maybe a world-class coach, but he is past his prime. He is being given renewals as India coach without performing. Every time India fails, he says he is preparing them for the next tournament,” he said.
“We need a younger Indian coach who has just come out of retirement. The world over, there are young coaches. India, on the other hand, have a coach who is well over 60. Things have changed. You need a proactive and aggressive coach.”
In addition, Ballal feels the lack of a proper feeder system for juniors to take the step up to the international level is part of the problem plaguing Indian hockey at present. “There is no clear pathway for youngsters. It’s pretty unfortunate. The SAI is wasting time and money. The system should be such that players should be ready to be promoted to the Indian team as soon as there is an injury or loss of form to a senior player. But that’s far from the case.”