Friday, Mar 22, 2002
Friday, Mar 22, 2002 |
| Sport | ||
|
News:
Front Page |
National |
Southern States |
Other States |
International |
Opinion |
Business |
Sport |
Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary | Sport
-
Hockey
CHENNAI, MARCH 21. What next? This question haunts everyone. The poignancy behind it needs no probing. Even as the impact of the devastation, which the hockey World Cup was for India, sinks into the national psyche, the imperative need is a practical approach to assessing the cause and effect of the performance and chart a new course. After an avalanche of words, written and spoken, and when the chief coach, Cedric D'Souza is forced to bear the cross, evoking more sympathy for the timing of his exit than a logical evaluation of what went wrong and where, the norm of collective responsibility cannot be cast away. And this includes, to a large extent, the players, who raised the level of expectations to a new octave and then fell flat when it mattered most. Quite predictably, the contradictions and distortions in the polemical exchanges, that surfaced in the aftermath of the tragic developments at Kuala Lumpur, accentuated the cloud of reasoning, even the scope for an in-depth analysis. Looking back, it is difficult to refrain from faulting the selection, at the least the process that spilled into a third country. The decision to determine the 18 at Ipoh and not in New Delhi before departure obviously raised misgivings of a consensus eluding the committee. While the administration claims it conceded what the chief coach wanted, Cedric maintained the selection was acknowledged and approved by the committee. There could not have been a dispute over the nucleus, but definitely on a couple of seniors, who were pushed in at the expense of three junior World Cup stars. Crying over the spilt milk, a national pastime in this country, is likely to continue. But the administration should not wait for this lament to end before taking fresh initiatives. After all, what is dented is the image of Indian Hockey Federation. As a first step, the IHF should seek the help of the former stalwarts who witnessed the team in action. Need for remedy A team headed by Ajitpal Singh, and assisted by M.M. Somaiya, B.P. Govinda, V. Baskaran, Jagbir Singh, Harendra Singh and Ashish Ballal can be asked to provide their assessment on what went wrong and how it could be remedied, even if some of them choose to say nothing very complimentary about the IHF. At least, the federation will have something to work on, from the collective wisdom. Quite a few among former players were happy with basic talent, but found the shaping of it was flawed. Understandably, perception differed. Some viewed the system of training as inimical to the classical Indian style - short passing, dribbling and dodges. Another section saw changes inevitable in the light of the alterations to rules on the synthetic pitches but agreed that training was too hard and academic for players to absorb. Former coaches agreed that Cedric was lucky in getting all he wanted from the administration than they were able to extract from it. Heartening element A heartening element in the rubble of the Kuala Lumpur disaster is the youth content remaining intact. What the administration should now aim is to strengthen this base weeding out those who gained a place purely on the question of experience. This segment includes players like Jude Menezes, Baljit Singh Saini, Daljit Singh Dhillon, Sabu Varkey and even Dhanraj Pillay. Now that the sordid episode involving Cedric D'Souza is pushed into the recess of memory, the IHF should identify its course of action without much loss of time so that the threads of continuity are not lost. On more than one occasion the president Mr. K.P.S. Gill confirmed there is no move to inducting a foreign coach. But the option on this score should not be closed forever. A stalwart like Ric Charlesworth of Australia, whose interest in Indian hockey is genuine, will be ideal if only the IHF could find the wherewithal to have him associated with the team till the Olympics. Assuming the IHF does not want to make such a leap, the issue of who is to replace Cedric is bound to crop up shortly. Whether the IHF has a shortlist remains in the realm of guess. The need for a fresh, realistic approach on this issue cannot be over-emphasised. To bring someone already castigated for failure will be a wrong step. The IHF should pitch on an individual with impeccable credentials, both as a player and innovator, one who can improve upon the positive aspects assimilated from the coaching and training under Cedric D'Souza. Talent base strong Admittedly, the talent at the base is strong, which was proved in the Hobart World Cup, as also in other continental level age-group tournaments. In need however is a touch of pragmatism to fashion the skilled group for tougher competitions which are a handful. If India is to be reckoned as no pushover on the world stage and that the disaster at Kuala Lumpur was only an aberration, then the team, with a few minor alterations, should achieve a decent level of performance in the forthcoming Champions Trophy in August-September, retain the gold at the Asiad in Pusan, and strive for a top six placing at the next Olympiad in Athens. The task, no doubt, is arduous but the challenge has to be met.
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail
News:
Front Page |
National |
Southern States |
Other States |
International |
Opinion |
Business |
Sport |
Miscellaneous |
|
|
|
The Hindu Group: Home | About Us | Copyright | Archives | Contacts | Subscription Group Sites: The Hindu | Business Line | The Sportstar | Frontline | Home |
Copyright © 2002, The
Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of
this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of
The Hindu
|