Australia, Germany start favourites

M.S.Unnikrishnan

Tribune News Service

Over the top, in your face, security arrangements, with gun-totting policemen keeping vigil around the National Stadium and the team hotel, present an intimidating picture, as Delhi gears up for the 12th edition of the Hero Honda FIH World Cup Hockey Championship, starting here tomorrow. The piece de resistance of the mega event will be the match between India and Pakistan tomorrow. There will be three matches every day during the league phase with South Africa meeting Spain in the opening tie at 4.35 p.m followed by Australia-England (6.35 p m) and India-Pakistan (8.35 p m) encounters.

Defending champions Germany and runners-up Australia start favourites though the Germans, who are on a hat-trick trail, were modest saying that Australia were the chosen team.

The Germans’ first target would be to enter the semifinal, and then plot for the title. Australia, who are desperate to shake off the tag of “ever the best man, never the bride groom,” as they had finished runners-up to Germany both at Kuala Lumpur and Monchengladbach, had beaten Germany in the Champions Trophy final last year to exact some revenge.

But a World Cup win is a different cup of joy, and the team from Down Under would try their best to cloud the German renaissance. German captain Maximillan Muller had made a pertinent observation that Australia often failed in the big ticket events like the World Cup and the Olympic Games.

Australian captain Jamie Dwyer is determined to change that image. Australia first won the Cup in 1986 marshalled by the incomparable Rick Charlesworth, who had made his debut in 1975 at Kuala Lumpur, where India had captured their one and only title.

When India first hosted the World Cup in 1982 in Mumbai, Pakistan had bagged the title, and the hosts had finished fifth. Since then, India and Pakistan have drifted deeper into the mire of world hockey, and that record they would try to set right, now that the event has once again returned to the sub-continent.

Pakistan were a force to reckon with in the initial years, with their title win at the inaugural edition in Barcelona in October 1971, testifying to their supremacy.

Indian captain Rajpal and Pakistan counterpart Ashraf feel that they have the talent to at least make a semifinal finish here.

Ever since astro turf (synthetic surface) was introduced, the European teams and Australia have been dominating the show. The fitter and faster European and Australian teams, with their quick attack and counter-attacks, man to man marking, and maintaining a fast-paced attack from start to finish, have been dominating the sweepstakes.

The Asian teams have invariably fallen short on tactics and strategy on astro turf and they continue to rue their failure to make it big. Germany, who lost to England in the Eurocup Hockey final and then succumbed to Australia in the Champions Trophy, have just three players from the 2006 World Cup winning squad, and nine players from the Olympic gold winning team.

But the superbly fit, and gifted Germans have kept their cards close to their chest, and despite their humble demeanour, they would spare no effort to complete a hat-trick of titles.

Holland, England, Olympic runners-up Spain and New Zealand also nurse a strong urge to make a podium finish here. And so are Korea, who were the only Asian country to finish among the last four in the 2006 World Cup.

Holland, who won the Cup thrice — in 1973, ‘90 and ‘98 – also fancy their chances as they had always prided about their penalty corner specialists like Paul Litjens, Ties Cruise, Floris Bovelander and the present star Taeke Taekema.

With the new turf generating lots of bounce, there would be plenty of penalty corners, and the teams with the best drag-flickers are expected hold a decisive edge. Olympic finalists Spain are also capable of making their mark, while South Africa and Argentina can turn out to be the dark horses and any team who take them lightly would do it at their own peril.