Brasa has no magic mantra, but vision
M.S.Unnikrishnan

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 5
Jose Manuel Brasa Jose Manuel Brasa does not have a magic mantra, but he has the vision to change the fortune of Indian hockey around. The International Hockey Federation (FIH) master coach from Spain has come here with the reputation of coaching his country’s women’s team to the gold at the Barcelona Olympic Games in 1992.

“It does not matter whether you are coaching the women’s or men’s team. What matters is that the coach should be able to take the best out of the players”, Brasa said at an informal media interaction at the under-construction National Stadium here today.

Brasa, along with FIH president Leandre Negre and Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president Suresh Kalmadi visited the National Stadium, which will be the venue for the 2010 World Cup hockey as well as the Commonwealth Games.

Negre, who was very impressed with the stadium, which was constructed for the inaugural Asian Games in 1951, observed that it will be one of the best hockey stadiums in the world. “We are very happy, it’s a wonderful stadium.” he said.

Negre, who was making his second visit to Delhi in the span of a month, reiterated his stated position that India should put its hockey house in order soon, by bringing the men’s and women’s hockey associations under a unified body, and then only the country would be allowed to host the World Cup. Presently, hockey is being run by the IOA Ad Hoc Committee, after KPS Gill was divested of the authority to run the Indian Hockey Federation.

Negre said the game would be served better only under a unified body, and not under the present ad hoc arrangement. He said he had been assured by Kalmadi that a unified hocky association would be formed “very soon”. Brasa said he was “very happy, really very happy” to take over the reigns as the chief national coach of the Indian hockey team. “I have found all the doors open. Everybody wants to help improve Indian hockey, particularly Kalmadi”, said the coach, flashing a big smile.

The Spanish coach said he would give thrust to the development of the players. He said he would have a definite say in the team selection, but would not go for wholesale changes. He also did not intend to change the style of Indian hockey. “Asian style is attacking hockey, while the Europeans play defesive hockey. India must not stop their attacking hockey. It’s their best weapon”, Brasa noted. He also praised the Indian players “as the best in the world, skill-wise”.