Dabang Mumbai starts on a clean slate in the Hero Hockey India League 2015. A new group of players with Belgium forward-cum drag-flicker Tom Boon, India goalkeeper Adrian D’Souza as big-match performers, playing under a new coach in Germany’s Valentine Altenburg, step into the unknown against second-placed Jaypee Punjab Warriors on Friday.
“Fielding a new team against well-settled sides is an adventurous idea,” said Altenburg, ahead of the opener at the Mahindra stadium.
Altenburg, associated with the German junior squad, added: “No one knows what is going to happen in the match. They (Punjab) don’t know what we can do. We have an idea about their game.”
The home team has experienced hands in Boon, Australians Matthew Swann, Glenn Turner and India’s V.S. Vinay. With goalkeeper Adrian looking for a stage to perform, tackling Australians Mark Knowles and Simon Orchard, Indian goal-getters S.V. Sunil, Shivender Singh and standing up to penalty corner specialist Sandeep Singh is motivating enough.
The home side, known as Mumbai Magicians last year, ended up second last in the six-team league, followed by a change in ownership from Dabur Group to DoIt Sports Management.
Punjab Warriors lost the HIL final last year to Delhi Waveriders and has retained a major chunk of players. Chief coach Barry Dancer, aware of tough time ahead despite Mumbai’s raw look, said: We want to make a good start, by winning on the opponent’s home tie. It will be step towards our objective this year to go one step further than last year.”
Asked to comment on the home side, he said: “We are focusing on our own game and strategies and make sure we come out as a strong team.”
