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Journalism of Courage
NEW DELHI, JAN 22: India’s search for a foreign hockey coach had begun as early as in the 1970s. Ashwini Kumar, former president of the Indian Hockey Federation and member of the International Olympic Committee, had even got $20,000 sanctioned from the IOC for this purpose.
“I had advocated the need for a foreign coach way back in ’70s, but after two decades Indian hockey continues to languish while Europeans have moved far ahead,” Kumar, who was IHF president from 1953-75, told The Indian Express on Friday.
“I wanted the German specialist Horst Wein — the guru of total hockey — to coach the Indians. Unfortunately, I quit as IHF president in 1975 and that was the end of it. Later, I got Mr Samaranch to grant $20,000 to hire a foreign coach, but that money is yet to be utilised by the IOA or the IHF,” Kumar revealed.
Kumar, who quit in disgust over charges of promoting North Indianplayers, continues to follow hockey passionately and feels that India’s current standard is poor. “I was really disappointed after watching the team in Bangkok. If people feel it was a great team or a revival is in sight, I disagree. Apart from two players, Dhanraj Pillay and goal-keeper Ashish Ballal, we do not have world class players,” he said.
He however, chose not to blame the players. “They are not laggards. It is only that they do not know any better. They need someone to teach them better tactics, and they have to learn basics of modern hockey at an early age,” he pointed out.
Talking about India’s weaknesses and poor state of the game, Kumar said that Indians were lacking in tactics, stamina and most importantly, a rapid analysis of opponent’s gameplan. He pointed out that Europeans and Australians were using latest bio-technical methods to train their players, while Indian coaches are yet to understand the importance of scientific training. “Let there be an Indian coach with the team, butalso get somebody qualified from abroad and listen to him. That can bring about a sea change in three-four years. Let us treat hockey as a professional sport. Our present approach is too amateurish,” Kumar said.
He said that as players learnt hockey basics on grass, it often became difficult for them to adapt to the hard demands of astroturf. “Most of the Indians do not have well developed calf muscles as they train on grass. Thus, they tire easily. Earlier, Indians excelled as their lithe physiques helped them play better on grass. But on artificial surfaces, you need strong physique and loads of stamina. That can only come with latest techniques and equipment and only a foreign expert can help us in this.”
Kumar refused to pass judgement on the resting of the top six players, saying it was the IHF’s priority. “IHF is the best judge. But I would certainly have liked to see Pillay and Ballal play more. Anyway, the country owes it to them for Bangkok gold.”
About players-federation relations, Kumarinsisted that discipline was of primary importance. “In my days, there was more discipline. But we also treated players like ballerinas — coaxed them, handled them with kid gloves,” Kumar said remembering the 1975 World Cup triumph when there was “more unity and team spirit".
