‘Young team will deliver’
A young and inexperienced Indian hockey side are getting ready for the forthcoming Asia Cup, but high performance director Roelant Oltmans is confident of a good show at the crucial tournament, to be held in Ipoh, Malaysia.
Oltmans, named as the interim hockey coach after Michael Nobbs’ ouster recently, also admitted that he will be sole responsible for how his wards fare at Ipoh.
India face a must-win situation in the Asia Cup, to be held from August 24 to September 1, as it will be their last chance to qualify for next year’s World Cup in the Hague, the Netherlands.
“I’ll be responsible for the team’s performance but at thesame time I’m confident also,” Oltmans said the sidelines of the national camp at the National Stadium here.
“We have prepared ourselves in the best possible manner in the short period of time we had. We can assure all that we will give our 100 per cent every single minute and in every single game we play,” the Dutchman added.
Injuries to four key players — Askashdeep Singh, S .V. .Sunil, Gurwinder Singh Chandi and Danish Mujtaba — have forced India to field an inexperienced forwardline, but Oltmans believes that his young crop of strikers will deliver in the Asia Cup. “There is no doubt about it. The boys are working very hard and I am confident that it is the right team to be there. We can only pick players who are available. But what we can do is prepare them in the best possible way that they are able to perform.
“If we are able to produce good performances on a consistent basis there (in Ipoh), we can win the tournament,” Oltmans insisted.
On the impact of the new goalkeeping coach, Dave Staniforth on the Indian custodians, Oltmans said: “He is trying to prepare the goalkeepers in whatever short period of time he has.
“Our special emphasis now is on penalty corner defence and shoot-outs.”
The Dutchman also explained the induction of young Amit Rohidas in the defensive line in place of Harbir Singh.
“I feel for Harbir, it was little tough on him but he realises the goal and planning of the team. Amit is a drag-flicker and I always prefer three drag-flickers in the team so that two of them can be on the turf at the same time,” he said.
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