Why should only players think about nation?
BANGALORE/PUNE: The Indian hockey team refused to give in to Hockey India’s threat on Tuesday as the players’ Pune camp strike continued. The players closed ranks and made their point clear. “We are not asking for the money right now. Give us a written assurance that our dues (up to Rs 4.5 lakh per player) will be paid and our demand for graded payment will be accepted and we will join the camp tomorrow,” said Arjun Halappa, a senior member of the team.
Another senior player Deepak Thakur put the players’ fight “against injustice” in perspective: “Nothing comes before the nation, not even money. But why is it that only the players have to think about the nation and not the administrators? We have an important event round the corner and that’s why we raised the issue now. Had we raised it earlier, it would have been swept under the carpet.”
Reacting to the players’ stand, Mattoo said that a new set of players would represent India at the World Cup if the impasse continued. “We will not sack the players but ask them to leave the camp if they are not practising. India will participate in the World Cup irrespective of the fact that whether they play or not. We will look for fresh players… I’m confident that India would be able to put up a better team for the World Cup,” Mattoo said.
What may come as a rude shock to Mattoo and HI is an equally determined set of players at the Lucknow camp, where 31 probables of the development team are preparing for the SAF Games.
In a meeting held in Lucknow, the probables, comprising a major chunk of the U-21 players, pledged that they will not heed HI’s request in case they are approached.
“Our support to the World Cup players is total,” sources in the Lucknow camp told TOI. “We will not stop practising here but at the same time, no one can doubt our moral backing for the Pune campers. Everyone agreed that we have to be one at this point of time.”
So, where will HI get the players from?
With the national pool restricted to a mere 50 odd players – thanks to the federation’s indifference to national championships and grassroots hockey – HI will either have to draft in the U-18 team or scout for talent from SAI centres, private academies or from teams that regularly play on the national circuit. But then, is a hastily-cobbled club side the solution for the World Cup?
Obviously it is not. The deadline for submitting the names to the International Hockey Federation is February 12, exactly a month from now.
What transpired at the Pune meeting was rather one-note. The players demanded Rs 4.5 lakh each as ‘dues’ for their 2009 showing, a graded contract system, daily allowance during camp days and match days as well as match fees. Predictably, HI said it did not have the funds to accede to their request. To this the players said they would fund their own World Cup preparations provided HI gave them a written assurance that they would be suitably compensated.
“It seems money is more important to them than playing for the country,” Mattoo told reporters. “I assured them their demands would be looked into after the HI elections on February 7, when the new body takes over. But they refused to budge.”
Mattoo added: “There is no question of salary. They are not paid employees of HI.”
The players said they were mentally prepared to leave the camp. “The Rs 25,000 they have offered will suit a school side, not a national team,” the players pointed out.
“Hockey India said they don’t have money. In that case, we don’t want to increase their burden and all 22 players are ready to fund their World Cup preparations,” Rajpal said.
Goalkeeper D’Souza said: “I can tell you that we would not be happy and celebrate if we have to go back home from the camp. We only want a written assurance so that we can show it if the next HI set-up challenges our claims.”