Before I begin with Indian hockey, I have to make amends about what I wrote earlier about Malaysian hockey. I had predicted that Malaysia will not make the semis. How wrong was I? Very. Not only did they make the semis, giving a good account of themselves in the qualification stage, but upset India emphatically, preventing the Indians from playing in the finals. Kudos to the young Malaysian team for a great performance at the Asiad.
The Asiad is over. Regrettably, I didn’t get to watch any of the matches, but eagerly followed every piece and nugget of news and commentary diligently. For those who watched the matches, it must have been a great experience. So really, I cannot comment on the Indian team’s performance at the Asiad except that the team did well overall.
Also over is the Indian dream of sealing an automatic berth to the London OG. To compound matters, the solace of winning the bronze has been marred by immature and controversial comments by the Indian captain. Captains are leaders and role- models. Rajpal is not. So I guess Brasa was right in wanting someone else to be the Indian captain. Let’s hope Rajpal lets his stick do the talking the next time. He will rue his comments no doubt, especially if India does not qualify for 2012 OG. Many of us see him as a cry-baby who deflected the focus of his failures and was used as a pawn by the perennial Indian hockey politics.
Now what for Indian hockey? Especially when you consider two facts: 1. India has to play the qualifying matches for the OG, and 2. Brasa’s continuity as the Indian coach has been de-railed.
Let’s take the 2nd first; India loosing Brasa’s services as a coach and the prospects of a new coach starting from scratch. Irrespective of Brasa’s ability as a coach, the Indian team was shaping well and producing some results. I’m not doubting that Brasa is a good coach. After all he has impeccable credentials, but I am underscoring the need for continuity in coaching techniques. If HI chooses a new coach (and those jokers will), the loss to Indian hockey is two-fold: 1. back to the blackboard for the Indian players to learn the new “philosophy”, disrupting the momentum of a team that was coming together 2. Who knows which “new” coach HI will choose? Knowing the way the administration has worked in the past, most likely an Indian ex-Olympian yes-man from the stone ages of hockey, clueless about modern techniques and strategies. This is a classic case of regression and denial. A great injustice to Indian hockey at this juncture of hope.
Our memories are fresh with the ignominy of India failing to qualify for the 2008 OGs. Will history repeat itself in 2012? That is fear that lurks in the minds of the fans, even though we want to think otherwise. If HI plays politics by disrupting the rhythm of the team by appointing new coaches and meddling with the composition of the core team, then this fear could well be a reality. India needs to address the qualification process from now, with a long term game-plan to build the team to peak in 2012 to ensure qualification. Dismissing a coach, who has shown promise, is definitely not any way to achieve success in the qualification tournament.
HI is getting to be as much of thorn in Indian hockey’s flesh as the IHF was in the past. In retrospect, the Gill-led IHF had more redeeming factors then the present HI. At least Gill was totalitarian and decisive. The present lot seems rudderless and easily swayed by external vested interests. And this comes from one of the harshest critics of The-Gill.
Let us see how things shape up in the next few months. They will be crucial to Indian hockey. HI beware, if India does not qualify for the 2012 OG, then not only will it ring the death knell for Indian hockey, but also the millions of fans will be baying for your blood. So, do the right thing and retain Brasa.
HI needs Indian hockey success, just as a dying man needs to breathe. Desperately.
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