The gold medal for India in the men’s hockey competition was the high point of the Asian Games. It does not necessarily mean that the gold won in other disciplines glitters less. But for the eight-time Olympic champion, this top of the podium finish after a hiatus of 16 years is special; one that symbolises the resurrection of an ethos built over decades.
For those who etched the epitaph subsequent to the disastrous qualifier at Santiago where India missed the participation in the 2008 Olympics for the first time the verdict last week is a subtle message for a chance to reinvent and recover.
The question is how to consolidate the gains. The tempo generated needs to be channelised into a constructive programme to improve, innovate and improvise.
If somebody imagines that India’s show was flawless it is way beyond the truth. More than anyone, the chief coach, Terry Walsh, is convinced that a lot requires to be addressed and corrected.
The symphony in the attack missed many beats, degenerating into discordant notes in every match. The consistency factor was abysmal. True, the individual proficiency of S.V. Sunil, Akashdeep Singh, Gurwinder Singh Chandi and Ramandeep was impressive but the required harmony to strike was missing. This area calls for immediate improvement. Unless this is accomplished before the next challenge, the Champions Trophy at Bhubaneswar, everything will fade away into memory.
A modicum of adjustment in the middle layer and backline will be sufficient to strengthen the defence. Sardar Singh, supported by Gurbaj Singh, Kothajit (who scored a stunning equaliser against Pakistan in the final), Manpreet Singh, Birendra Lakra and Dharambir fulfilled the expectations as did Rupinder and Raghunath.
The team, however, looks up to goalkeeper Sreejesh, whose prowess has now been proved more than once.
While the gold medal contributed a lot in embellishing the profile of Indian hockey a structural inadequacy persists. Hockey has lost its pan-India presence. It is cluttered in pockets. Several cities like Mumbai, which used to be in the forefront of projecting a cornucopia of talent, Hyderabad, Chennai and even Karnataka, get very little focus. In Tamil Nadu it is in a state of inertia and probably so in other areas as well. Paucity of raw talent is a reality.
The sport is not enjoying the priority status even in renowned nurseries.
More than savouring the golden moment and slipping into the corridor of complacency, Hockey India has to re-invigorate and reconstruct the whole structure at every nook and corner. A phenomenal increase in the 13-20 age group talent pool and close monitoring of its development have to be ensured on a war footing. This endeavour requires the co-operation and understanding of the country’s needs from all sections.
A new set, headed by Dr. Narinder Batra as President, is to take office on October 13.
Its first priority should be to frame a vision document for garnering the new awakening at all levels.
A compact expert committee with foreign coaches, trainers and former internationals can be constituted with a time frame firmly fixed to prepare a viable programme.
