What women’s team want

Joaquim Carvalho’s boys couldn’t get lessons from Ric Charlesworth during their final qualifying tournament for the Beijing Olympics in Chile...

Joaquim Carvalho’s boys couldn’t get lessons from Ric Charlesworth during their final qualifying tournament for the Beijing Olympics in Chile, but the women’s team are set to have the former Australian player and coach with them when they travel to Russia to try and make it to the Games for the first time in 28 years.

After a week of hectic off-field activities, Charlesworth is finally set to sign his contract, and to work with the country’s top women players, who are training in Lucknow for the Beijing Games qualifying tournament starting in Kazan, Russia, on April 17.

According to chief coach MK Kaushik, Charlesworth’s presence will benefit the team even though it’s a little late in the day and plans for the tournament have already been finalised.

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“I wouldn’t mind learning how to win even from my critics,” Kaushik said. “Working with Charlesworth will be great for the team. He could help with some minor changes that could polish their skills and make their qualification chances brighter.”

At least 10 days

Charlesworth is supposed to be a part of the pre-tournament training for at least 10 days, starting on Monday. Is this too little time? Perhaps, but Kaushik stressed that something was better than nothing. “A technical expert like Charlesworth could make a world of difference even in a short time,” he said. “Under the circumstances, if some corrections are possible, they can be made. We still have three weeks of practice.”

But, Kaushik said that no sweeping changes may be possible. “The psychology of our girls will be very different from the Australian’s. So it may not be possible to completely change the training, including penalty-corner situations.”

Not like last time

Unlike the men’s team management, which left Charlesworth stranded at Perth and boarded plane to Chile for the final qualifying tournament, the women’s hockey administration is planning to ensure he is on the flight. “As far as I know, he will be travelling with the team,” Kaushik said.

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Among the six teams in Kazan, USA are expected to be the most formidable. The last time when the teams met, the Americans — ranked a few places higher than India in the world rankings — had won a best-of-three series to qualify for the 2002 World Cup.

Making it to the Olympics via the qualifiers is never easy, Kaushik warns. “It’s mentally very taxing on the players. It won’t be easy. Just one off-day can ruin everything. But the girls are focussed. They know what is required of them to be successful in Kazan.”

The women’s team had finished with the bronze medal in the Asian Games in Doha. But unike the men’s section, only the top two teams from the Asiad get a direct entry to the Olympics.

“It’s so much better if you qualify through the continental competition. It gives you enough time to prepare for the big event,” Kaushik said.