CHENNAI: Surprisingly, no Indian figures in the list of nominees for the International Hockey Federation’s 2009 Men’s Player of the Year and the Young Player of the Year awards.
Out of the Olympics fold after their failure to qualify for the 2008 Beijing Games, India had to make do with participating in minor tournaments or bilateral series just to keep the show going over the past one year. The only consolation has been an automatic berth in the 2010 World Cup by virtue of being the hosts.
The list of nominees for the men’s award include previous winners Teun de Nooijer of the Netherlands (2003, 05, 06), Pol Amat of Spain (2008) and Jamie Dwyer of Australia (2004).
All the players, who are currently participating at the ABN AMRO Champions Trophy in Melbourne, Australia, voted and the FIH established shortlisted the candidates for the two prestigious awards whose winners will be announced during the final weekend of the Champions Trophy, according to a FIH press release.
The nominees are:
Men’s Player of the Year 2009: Pol Amat (Spain), Jamie Dwyer (Australia), Barry Middleton (England), Teun de Nooijer (The Netherlands), Jong Ho Seo (Korea) and Christopher Zeller (Germany).
Men’s Young Player of the Year 2009 (born in 1986 or later): Simon Child (New Zealand), Sergei Enrique (Spain), Tobias Hauke (Germany), Ashley Jackson (England), Robert Kemperman (The Netherlands) and Eddie Ockenden (Australia).