Focused on Olympic qualification

Talent notwithstanding, young Indian players are often ill-equipped to make a quick step-up to the senior ranks, feels former India hockey captain Dilip Tirkey.

“Our main problem when we pick players after a junior tournament and directly draft them into the senior team has been their inability to perform for two or three years,” he said here on Friday.

“This is because our domestic competitions are not of the same standard as those abroad. They’re unable to adjust.”

A Government-appointed observer on the Hockey India selection committee, Tirkey was speaking on the final day of trials at the National camp at the SAI here. The existing 88-member group is to be trimmed to 48, with the overspill to enter a development squad.

“Our plan is to have them play at least 40 to 50 top-class matches (including international competitions) with the development team before drafting them into the senior team. There should be no excuses. We only want performance in the senior team.”

A few players were impressive, he admitted. “Two-three players have looked good. I can’t reveal names, but players in deep-defence, fullback and even in midfield have looked good. They have a future, but they’ll need time. They’ll be kept in the development team for two to three years.”

Of immediate interest was Olympic qualification, he said. “We’re focused on getting experienced players, like Prabhjot (Singh), Ignace (Tirkey), William (Xalxo), Prabodh (Tirkey) etc., fit for the qualifiers.”

Asked if the presence of a few senior players, who at times might have appeared past their best, was necessary, Tirkey replied: “Absolutely. Experienced players are needed. I’ve seen, with youngsters, in the past that they’re good domestically but unable to perform in international matches. It’s very rare (that they do).”

It was his opinion that “experienced players” needed to be retained, he clarified, and he had told the same to the selectors.