Ill-timed side-lining of skilled gamers, obvious inconsistency in tempo, and incapacity to handle long-standing weaknesses — there can be loads to ponder for the Indian girls’s hockey staff when it will get all the way down to the arduous activity of rebuilding for the following Olympic cycle after the surprising failure to qualify for Paris.
The 0-1 loss to Japan within the third-place match of the FIH Olympic Qualifiers right here on Friday can appear gorgeous on the face of it however dig just a bit bit deeper and it could be obvious that the debacle was a very long time coming.
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Skipper Savita Punia and her teammates had tears rolling down their dejected faces and all one may see of their eyes was uncertainty, maybe a touch of concern too as to what awaits them subsequent.
“I don’t know,” mentioned the staff’s very shaken coach Janneke Schopman unable to articulate what the long run holds for both her or her wards.
Hockey India has dominated out any drastic measures and fairly frankly with an Olympic cycle misplaced, what would any drastic measure obtain at this level? The rebuilding course of, in any case, must be a fastidiously thought out one.
Having certified for 2 consecutive Olympics in 2016 and 2020 after efforts of greater than three a long time, the Indian girls made gradual progress on the world degree.
The massive second below the solar was after all the Tokyo Olympics. There was no medal however the aspect’s gallantry in a marketing campaign that fetched it the fourth spot received over the nation, which determined that these girls deserved to be feted as a lot as those that got here again with a medal round their necks.
So, what modified in a matter of three years? Where did the momentum go?
The reply to those questions is just not an all-encompassing one reality.
The first of the numerous causes most likely lies within the lack of their charismatic Dutch coach Sjoerd Marijne, who determined to pack his luggage after Tokyo as he didn’t need to keep away from his household in a high-pressure job.
Marijne had created a really dedicated, joyful unit that roared in Tokyo and Schopman, additionally from the Netherlands, was his assistant at that time. It seemed like a clean transition of function to her.
But clearly, she has struggled to get the stability proper although to her credit score, the staff did rise to its highest ever world quantity six standing on the again of some good performances.
And that’s why none might be faulted for believing that this staff should have made it to Paris within the Asian Games final 12 months, the place a gold was wanted to seal the deal.
Instead, the Indians introduced house a bronze, one would say a medal nonetheless however then, it was simply that, a medal which didn’t fetch them the larger prize on provide.
That end result ought to have set alarm bells ringing however name it complacency or confidence, there was immense perception that in Ranchi, the job can be performed. And now that it hasn’t occurred, the questions are aplenty.
“…obviously it has been a disappointing outing for us. We now have to start from the scratch and have four years time in hand to prepare for the next Olympics,” Hockey India secretary normal Bholanath Singh advised PTI.
The optimism of his assertion can barely conceal the truth that it could be a hustle for the staff and that a long time of arduous work has come undone in a matter of months.
And HI has so much to reply as effectively for its personal function in what has transpired.
Rani Rampal, the mid-field fulcrum and captain of the aspect in Tokyo, was axed inside months of the Games with out a lot as a correct clarification.
There have been murmurs of rift within the aspect and the presently 29-year-old didn’t mince phrases in saying that solely the coach, the staff administration and the selectors knew simply why she was being ignored.
A nagging hamstring damage had a job to play maybe however her exclusion from the Asian Games squad was nonetheless a shock and he or she made her displeasure clear particularly after making a robust case for comeback with 18 targets within the National Games.
What adopted was HI’s weird determination to nominate her because the coach of sub-junior gamers even though she had not but retired. She accepted the function however refused to surrender on a doable comeback on the sphere.
Seasoned defender and penalty nook specialist Deep Grace Ekka and drag-flicker Gurjit Kaur additionally made means for youthful gamers however the experiment didn’t yield the specified end result, as was seen right here.
While Gurjit was merely dropped, Deep Grace, after speaking about how devastated she felt following the Asian Games heartbreak, opted out of the Olympic Qualifiers for private causes.
The two have been key gamers for India in Tokyo although one may argue that the staff administration was entitled to take a punt on youth.
Their replacements — Deepika and Udita — nevertheless, lacked consistency.
“Deepika is young and doesn’t have that experience, while Udita has just one slap shot. There is no variation,” mentioned former India captain Ajitpal Singh.
“I don’t know why the Indian team management didn’t select Deep Grace and Gurjit, who are very good from penalty corners and also have the experience behind their backs,” he puzzled.
Having mentioned that, it’s not that the Indians performed badly within the event, however they have been responsible of not taking part in to their energy which is attacking hockey.
Skipper Savita, who can also be the goalkeeper, mid-fielder Neha Goyal, ahead Navneet Kaur are amongst those that would face some robust questions.
But for any truthful evaluation, the staff must first overcome the agony of lacking out on an Olympics. And that wound will take some time to heal.
(This story has not been edited by News18 employees and is printed from a syndicated news company feed – PTI)
Source: www.news18.com
