The Hindu : Indian coach optimistic

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Oct 16, 2002

Sport

Sport - Asian Games

Indian coach optimistic

NEW DELHI OCT. 15. "We are improving but we need to stabilise as the art of perfection has not still been achieved,'' said coach Rajinder Singh, as the Indian hockey team returned from the Asian Games in Busan with a silver medal here on Monday night.

Appreciating the fighting qualities of the team in the final against South Korea when the Indian lads bounced back into contention after being 0-3 down, the coach said that the overall performance was satisfactory, though it was an anti-climax from the Indian point of view.

Rajinder was of the view that players needed to realise their responsibilities, with regard to playing safe in the last few minutes and avoiding rough tackles.

"We are physically on par but need to tune mentally, visualising the possibilities in various situations and reacting accordingly'', said the national coach.

Emphasising the skill part, and pointing at the number of goals scored by the Indian team, not just in the Asian Games, but also in other recent tournaments, Rajinder said that the team needed to build on its strength of skill.

"We need to improve the stopping, dodging and other skills. Look at Dhanraj Pillay. We need a few more Pillays,'' said the coach.

He also stressed the importance of improving on the goal-keeping front if India hoped to match the best teams of the world.

"We won two of the three matches against Pakistan. The point is at that level, any team can beat the other on a given day. We need to work on our weaknesses and become better.

Our midfield was relatively new, and we need to work on strengthening it. Of course, our penalty corner efforts in the Asian Games were not as good as it was in the Champions Trophy. We need to work in this area as well,'' said Rajinder, who has been on national assignment for the last two years.

Not defending the hockey gold may have been one of the disappointments for India, but the coach was categorical that there were many positive signs for the future, if the players noted the lessons from the heart-breaking experience of being `so near, yet so far'.

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