DOHA: Titbits here and there

After the whole show was over and people were wrapping up on Thursday after the ACT Final, a Chinese

photographer on the ground remarked regretfully: “I have the group pictures for all the teams along their

trophies but not India. When I go back, my people will ask me where the photograph to the Indian team?

They didn’t pose for a photograph; they didn’t receive the trophy either. They (the Indian team) didn’t

even go out to thank the crowd that cheered them. I saw this game for the first time during this

tournament. It is a lovely game but this wasn’t a good gesture.”

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Japan had a foreign coach in Kang Keon Wook, the Korean who represented 1996 and 2000

Olympics. His target in Doha was to change the mindset of the Japanese players. He draws parallels with

the Koreans and quotes, “When you tell the Koreans a particular move, they just do it to perfection; only

then they analyze whether it’s a good move or not.” On the flip side, his one year experience with the

Japan team has been a different learning experience as he shares thoughtfully, “If the Japanese don’t

understand something they don’t do it with their full mind. Communication about a move or a strategy

along with the pros and cons need to be clear or else the change which we are striving for wouldn’t come

about.”

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The people who get the best view of the game at the Al Rayyan Stadium at Doha are the catering team for

the VIP stand. This stand is on a balcony and is positioned at the perfect place to have a bird-eye’s

panoramic view of the whole stadium. The top layer of this balcony is with the catering team. No well

sees the match so well as them. None of them have watched a Hockey game before. They are oblivious of the

fact they get the best view they are getting and the consequence is, they have made some observations,

and now, before each game, they have a prediction that who the winner would be.

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The Hockey pitch was laid in 2006 for the Doha Asian Games. This was only a temporary arrangement. It was

supposed to be taken off after the Games. This Hockey turf is in the backyard of a huge Football Stadium.

During the India Pakistan match – all tickets were sold out 4 days before — there were hundreds of

people standing at the periphery of the Football stadium (overlooking the Hockey pitch). As the match got

over, public coming out from the Hockey Stadium and the Football stadium as well!

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Locals predicted that for any India v Pakistan match in the Gulf region, Pakistan supporters are very

pro-active and they buy the tickets much before-hand. They come to the stadium in huge groups and

dominate the proceedings. The Indian supporters are not as pro-active as the Pakistanis. Naturally, they

are lesser in number and show up late at the stadium as well. This was evident during the match. The

authorities asked the people entering the stadium which team are they supporting. They divided the stands

between India and Pakistan. The Indian stand was smaller in size and less vocal in their support too.

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Qatar Hockey Federation (QHF) got a shot in the arm when Shiekh Saoud bin Abdul Rehman, the Secretary-

General of Qatar Olympics Committee and Sports Minister too for the country, came to the stadium to

witness the India v Pakistan match. Seeing the crowd support which is very unlike Qatar – sports other

than Football have little presence in Qatar – he told the Federation officials that they should write to

him directly with any help they require. A late night ‘Well Done!” message from him to Mohamed Abdul

Nazer, Secretary General of QHF only made Nazer’s smile broader.

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Coach Micheal Nobbs has caught up Flu during the tournament. On a few moments when he is alone, he looks

a little down and slow. At such times, one wonders and waits to see, how the team will fare today.

However, those breaks are brief. At all other times, he is on the job — Overseeing the team practice,

shouting from the side-lines during the game and at times arguing with the on-field umpires, too. Well,

the Coach can’t afford to take a break, you see!

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Nobbs says that 66% of the times, the decision by the on-field umpires are over-ruled by the video

referrals. He regrets that this tournament doesn’t have a video-referrals system in place. “The only

thing they do is check with the other umpire,” says the disappointed coach.