India may be just a step away from final confirmation of their berth in the 2014 Hockey World Cup, but the young team’s heartening show at the Asia Cup, where they finished runners-up, has instilled belief and positive intent in them.
Young strikers Mandeep Singh, Malak Singh, Nikkin Thimmaiah and Ramandeep Singh revelled in pressure situations, while the defence shone throughout.
For the first time in many years, an Indian defender, V.R. Raghunath, was named the man of the tournament, signifying that the squad are headed in the right direction. The arrival of Dutch master coach Roelant Oltmans and his work in just two months with the team — when he took over as interim coach — cannot be overlooked.
Under Oltmans, India played a compact, new style of play which focused more on defence. In their five matches at the Asia Cup, India conceded just five goals (four in the final) against 24 scored.
“A lot of emphasis was put on defending patterns,” said Raghunath. “It was clear to everybody that when it came to saving our zone, we were 10 and not just three or four. It was good show from the team.”
One man who stood tall throughout was goalkeeper P.R. Sreejesh. The 25-year-old put all his experience to good use and was adjudged the best custodian of the tournament.
“I was really sad last night getting the best goalkeeper award. We should have won, but yes, looking at the team’s performance, it is a positive sign.
“The defenders did a great job. We managed to hold on to a 1-0 lead till the 60th or 65th minute and it deserves credit. We have improved markedly when it comes to conceding a goal in the starting five minutes or at the end,” Sreejesh said.
Asked what made the difference, he said, “There is no secret formula to it. This is Oltmans’ immaculate planning and thorough practice sessions. Clear roles were assigned to the players, which wasn’t the case earlier.
“Oltmans is a man filled with positive energy,” said Sreejesh. “He never gives importance to any individual, it is all about the team and he values it.”
Mandeep said the “freedom” given to the youngsters was key.
“The coach told us repeatedly to enjoy ourselves on the field rather than worry or get into a negative mould, thinking about World Cup qualification. That is exactly how we played and it showed in the results,” said Mandeep, who scored five goals.
“We approached the tournament with a positive mindset. Eventually, we lost the final but there were a lot of lessons learnt.”