It’s a heartening happening. A whiff of fresh air is sweeping across the shores of global hockey. The old order, so entrenched in their victory mould for decades, seems to be breaking. Hockey’s hitherto unheralded but under-harnessed teams seemed to have woken up. The neo-powers throw an enchanting picture for the future for the game we all love the most.
This is what one is tempted to feel after observing latest winners of major tournaments.
The phenomenon is more evident in women’s hockey than in the men’s domain. China started it all. They challenged the might of Australia and Argentina at Macau successfully. The team that is participating in the Champions Trophy for the first time won the title! Korean coach training them proved to be modern day Ma Jun Run, their fearsome swimming coach of late 80s.
The Macau victory was not a fluke. Within couple months, they dethroned the South Korea at the Asiad. Shortly, even Australia could not stand against the charged up Chinese women. In the bronze medal match in the World Cup , Australians were simply outplayed in their own backyard.
There was no second opinion at Perth that China was the second best team after Argentina. Fu Fao Rang and lanky Nie Ya Li, goalkeeper, attracted as much attention and appreciation as were the likes of Vanina Onetto and Luciana Aymar.
Argentina itself cannot be bracketed in the old order. It won its first World Cup at Perth. That ended the gripping monopoly of Australia, Netherlands and Germany.
Historically and statistically, Germany might be a powerhouse but it ceased to be so in the decade gone by despite the presence of ever-green Natasha Keller. The great country which produced such shining stars as Brita Becker won the latest Champions Challenge Cup at Catania.
They are back into the Champions Trophy class. It can only herald new order in the women’s hockey. England under Australian coach Tricia Herberle have made tremendous strides in the last two years, winning the World Cup qualifier and figuring in the Champions Trophy.
Indian girls certainly surprised many with their Commonwealth Games gold, but the consistency of Japan, which won the bronze at Catania at the expense of old heavy weight New Zealand, is what will be watched in future. Sakae Morimoto and captain Keiko Miura are stars of their own right.
If Australia, New Zealand, Spain, South Korea are on the receding limp of the contemporary scene, the progress made by China, Argentina, England and Japan are significant. The older order including Netherlands is crumbling.
Hockey lovers can only expect better things in the coming tournaments. The vexed vision of same teams standing on the rostrum had become a thing of past.
Men’s hockey, far more professional than the women’s, is in a mid path. While Netherlands and Germany could hold on to their port, it cannot be said of Australia and Pakistan, the teams who were on par with the European duo in the 80s and 90s.
Australia and Pakistan, despite good rating obtained at KL World Cup, are at present struggling. So also is the case of South Korea. Korea’s failure to be in the Champions Trophy — it finished runners up to Spain at Randburg Champions Challenge with a tennis score like defeat — is telling.
Spain, surprise team of the mid 90s, seemed to have woken up from the slumber. After a decent show at the Hamburg Masters, it won the Randburg event on Sunday. Spain will be a team to watch at the European Nations Cup to be held shortly after the Amsterdom Champions Trophy. England (or GB) is down in stark contrast to their female counterparts. Argentina and India have done well since the KL World Cup, leading to a thinking that the two teams could well be the surprise pack of the immediate future. That both Argentina and India are in the Amsterdom Champions Trophy is an interesting aspect. If they do well there, it could well be surmised some order change will be in order in the men’s much stagnated domain.
K. Arumugam