HIL excellent opportunity for game in India: Charlesworth

By Satya Siddharth Rath

MUMBAI: Ric Charlesworth is back in India, this time in a different role. The Australian hockey legend, whose 10-month stint as technical advisor of Indian hockey ended on a sour note in 2008, will be coaching the Mumbai Magicians team in the upcoming Hockey India League (HIL), which is scheduled to begin on January 14.

“It was a different situation then, this is a completely different task. I was working with the government then and had some issues with my contract and arrangements. I am optimistic that it will be a fruitful challenge this time. I think this is an exciting opportunity for the game in India,” Charlesworth said on the sidelines of the Mumbai team’s camp, which began at the MHA Stadium here on Wednesday.

Mumbai Magicians will open their campaign against Delhi Waveriders in Delhi on January 16, and Charlesworth feels they are racing against time. “I have just about six days to prepare the team. Some of our boys are stuck in Delhi because of the perennial fog you have here in India. Hopefully, we’ll get most of them in a couple of days,” Charlesworth, who is also the current Australian coach, added.

He, however, was happy with the Mumbai weather. “Thankfully, we are not playing in Jalandhar! It’s quite warm here. We will see what we can do in a week… The good thing is, we have a very young team, and we hope to get better and better as the tournament progresses. It’s a very difficult thing to do, for I think you need months actually to put together a team properly.”

His first task is to know the players. “I have to find out a bit more about the 14 Indian players; I know a bit about some of them but need to figure things out about the others. It will be a great opportunity for the young Indian players to rub shoulders with some of the best in the world and that, I am sure, will benefit the game,” he felt.

Sandeep Singh’s presence in the Mumbai squad, Charlesworth feels, is a big plus. “As far as short corners are concerned, I think Sandeep is among the best couple in the world. But to win them (penalty corners), you have to play well and that’s what we have to try and do. This is a big opportunity for Sandeep to prove that he can do the job. He has lot of skill, but he has to do it on a consistent basis,” the genial Aussie observed.