A silver medal in the recent Asia Cup has virtually assured India a berth in next year's World Cup. The team's high performance director Roelant Oltmans feels the former champions of the game will definitely be a force to consider in the 2016 Olympics.
It is well known that India lost to defending champions South Korea by 2-3 goals in a hard-fought contention in the final of the Asia Cup at Ipoh in Malaysia recently. Despite the defeat, the Sardar Singh-led team has virtually booked its ticket to 2014 World Cup. Now, India will have to wait till November for the official confirmation from the International Hockey Federation (FIH) which will come shortly following the conclusion of the Oceania Cup.
Oltmans disclosed on Friday that they will have to wait for New Zealand or Australia to win the Oceania Cup. He added that normally one of these two teams win the Oceania Cup. It is quite improbable that a team like Samoa or Papua New Guinea will win by squashing Australia or New Zealand. So assuming that, they are glad that they are more or less qualified for the World Cup.
He emphasized that they still have a lot of work to do and they have to match the apex teams of the world. He pointed at Belgium mentioning that they are now a swiftly improved side and are thrashing teams like Germany, Australia as well as the Netherlands. He feels they will take another couple of years to bang top teams of the world. He feels they will be one of the tough competitors for the 2016 Olympics if not the 2014 World Cup. He highlighted that they are getting closer and closer but they will require some more time. They need to play more hard-hitting games like the Asia Cup final against South Korea.
Actually Oltmans, who was entrusted with the responsibility of coaching India in the recently-concluded Asia Cup following Michael Nobbs' sudden dismissal, feels that the Asia Cup outcome implied that Indian hockey is advancing in the correct direction.
The legendary Dutch coach commented that it was a young and inexperienced squad but under pressure it displayed great fighting spirit in the Asia Cup. He added that everyone saw the improvement. Only an united team effort can produce such positive outcome. Further, Oltmans remarked that the impressive performance of the youngsters in the Asia Cup promises best for the eight-time Olympic champions. He expressed that he is pleased to see competition for places emerging in Indian hockey. Hence there will be a clash for places in the team which is a heartening signal for Indian hockey.
Oltmans prior departing for a two-week break to the Netherlands claimed that a player has to understand that if he desires to be a part of the Indian hockey team, he has to be committed as well as hardworking. He added that there is no other substitute to it.
Even being plagued by injuries to crucial players, India fielded a relatively young and inexperienced team for the Asia Cup. Unfortunately, four key strikers Danish Mujtaba, Gurwinder Singh Chandi, SV Sunil and Akashdeep Singh were ruled out due to injuries. In fact, India's forward line in the Asia Cup was a latest-look unit.
Oltmans revealed that the search for a full-time foreign coach for the men's hockey team is continuing but he refused to disclose the names of the candidates who are in the tussle.
He claimed that he was in charge of the team for 7 weeks. His duty is over and currently he has returned as Director of High Performance of Indian hockey. They will appoint a new coach shortly. The process is ongoing.
