Published By: Ritayan Basu
Last Updated: January 19, 2024, 23:42 IST
Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey (IANS)
Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey didn’t expose plans concerning the Indian girls’s group’s chief coach Janneke Schopman’s future after failing to qualify for the Paris Olympics.
Despite doubts over the way forward for girls’s hockey group head coach Janneke Schopman following India’s failure to qualify for the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris later this 12 months, Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey expressed confidence in her efficiency.
“I am quite happy with the performance of the coach. The team has played very well for some time. If the team fails to capitalise on a 2-0 advantage in the shoot-out, doesn’t convert PCs and fails to take advantage of the lead, then we can’t blame the coach. This is the team’s performance. If they had failed to earn any PCs, that would have been another matter. Germany is one of the best teams in the world, so holding them to a draw is a creditable result,” mentioned the Hockey India president after India’s 1-0 defeat to Japan right here on Friday.
Tirkey mentioned the group had carried out properly within the final 12 months or so beneath Schopman’s steerage and Friday’s 1-0 defeat to Japan within the Hockey Olympic Qualifiers right here was simply an aberration.
“The team has done well recently. It won the bronze medal in the Asian Games, won gold in the Asian Champions Trophy and has also won many matches. Today also the team played well but they were unlucky not to score a goal against Japan,” mentioned Tirkey after India’s defeat within the third-place match within the Qualifiers.
Tirkey mentioned the group performed properly in Ranchi regardless of the absence of three senior gamers — Vandana Katariya, who’s injured, Sushila Chanu and Deep Grace Ekka.
“The team played well here despite the absence of three main players — Vandana Katariya, Sushila Chanu and Deep Grace Ekka. Their performance against Germany was outstanding. It was just bad luck that despite goalkeeper Savita giving the team a 2-1 lead, we could not maintain the lead and lost the match in sudden death
“So, it was our players who lost the match. Otherwise, the Olympic berth would have been settled yesterday itself,” mentioned the previous India defender.
The Hockey India president pointed on the group’s failure to capitalise on 9 penalty corners as the primary motive for defeat. It was disappointing that the group wasted 9-10 PCs, he mentioned.
“We had defeated Japan twice in the run-up to this tournament but could not do the same when it this crucial match. The team wasted nine PCs. In today’s game, PCs are the main weapons, the main scoring opportunity,” he mentioned.
Tirkey mentioned Hockey India has already began engaged on shortcomings like the lack to transform possibilities, good drag-flickers and a small expertise pool.
“Hockey India has already started working on these areas. In modern hockey, only teams that have good forwards, potent drag flickers, and experts in every department will win matches and titles. So, we have already started working on these areas,” he mentioned.
(This story has not been edited by News18 workers and is printed from a syndicated news company feed – IANS)
Ritayan BasuRitayan Basu, Senior Sub-Editor, Sports at News18.com. Has been masking home and and worldwide soccer for practically a decade. Has performed and c…Read More
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