ESPN India: India-Pakistan hockey clash beings reunion for Dutch coaches Marijne, Oltmans

Susan Ninan

A year ago, they were looking for food joints to eat out at, together in India. One, the 63 year-old men’s hockey coach; the other, 20 years his junior, a man who’d just left his family behind and moved to a foreign country for the job of coach of the Indian women’s hockey team. On Friday, the Dutch men will catch up on the field again. Only this time, they will be peppering their respective teams against each other.

Roelant Oltmans, who was at the helm of the Indian coaching set-up until September last year before he was asked to go, now heads the Pakistan team. Sjoerd Marijne, the man brought to India for the role of women’s coach, has now taken up Oltmans’ last job.

While any face-off between India and Pakistan, who play each other on Friday in a Commonwealth Games group stage match, is usually suffused with political and emotional undertones, there is a lot of camaraderie and respect between both coaches.

On paper, the winner in this case is no surprise. India, ranked sixth, has beaten Pakistan, currently placed seven spots below them, at all major competitions since the Champions Trophy semi-final defeat in December 2014.

“It was Roelant who brought me to India. I’d be always thankful to him for that,” says Marijne. “So when he was sacked and I was offered his job, I first wanted to make sure he was OK with it. He was one of the first people I called up when my name was suggested as his replacement. Roelant was gracious enough to say he didn’t mind it and wished me luck. It would have been awkward to ask him for any insights on the team since he didn’t have a very pleasant exit. We haven’t spoken much since but it’ll be good to see him again.”

Oltmans took charge of the Pakistan team in March this year and he’s barely had any time with the side leading up to Gold Coast. While there’s hurt at the unceremonious ouster, he’s willing to look ahead.

“It was a disappointment that our association had to come to an end but that’s how it is in sport. We go our different ways and find bigger challenges. I really enjoyed my work in India for close to five years so for me there’s no reason to say I won’t go back there. I’ve made a lot of friends there and can only look back with a big smile on my face. But maybe at the end of my current commitment with Pakistan it will be time for me to think of a different kind of life,” Oltmans tells ESPN.

This is Oltmans’ second stint in Pakistan, the first coming in 2003-04. From being a country famed and revered for the sport to not being able to qualify for the 2016 Olympics, it’s been a rather telling fall for hockey in Pakistan.

“I wasn’t here for about 15 years and now that I’m there I can tell that there’s been a change in the hockey scene. One for the better. Pakistan have had great players in the past and I’m here to create a certain legacy, work on the current lot as well as focusing on coaching development so that Pakistan can find their way up again.”

Back in India, national coaching role aside, Oltmans was also closely working with the Madhya Pradesh government to develop a blueprint for academies. But once he assumed his role across the border, he’s had to give that up as well. “I could and wanted to continue but India wasn’t keen on that.”

In their first match at this Commonwealth Games, Pakistan drew 1-1 against Wales. But India will be a whole different kettle of fish and Oltmans is frank in his assessment of their chances.

“I always try to take out the emotion from an India-Pakistan game and focus on chalking out and executing our plan on field. India is a favorite definitely. They beat us comfortably in the last few matches and while Pakistan has improved we aren’t that good enough yet to beat India. But we will try to put up a fight.”

“I really enjoyed my work in India for close to five years so for me there’s no reason to say I won’t go back there. I’ve made a lot of friends there and can only look back with a big smile on my face.”

Roelant Oltmans

For Marijne, weather seems the bigger worry. “It’s quite hot and we’re playing in the afternoon so we have to keep things calm and under control.”

No matter what the role or result, the relationship between him and Marijne remains cordial, Oltmans says. “It’s not due to him that I’m not working in India but due to other people.This is a great opportunity for him and we discussed it and thought he should take it up. For us, it’s not personal.”

After he left India, Oltmans says he hasn’t watched many India matches. Occasionally he’s managed to catch a few on YouTube. He’s up to speed with the results and scores, though.

“I know a couple of these players, but since India will be playing their first match against us here we haven’t got an opportunity to see what they’re up to in this tournament. They could be playing a different structure than what I’ve known, turned weaknesses into strengths or vice versa. But knowing that Sjeord will be on the other side is a good feeling.”