BANGALORE: If anything, India’s overall performance in the last month’s three national hockey tournament at Amstelveen highlighted the fact that the team, more or well settled. With two major tournaments just round the comer later this summer, the Champion’s Trophy in Berlin and the InterContinental Cup in Madison (USS) the question before the national selectors would be whether to retain the Amstelveen side or carry out changes.

However, using the Amstelveen performance as & yardstick one cannot visualize ‘major changes in the side for the ensuing international competitions. The Berlin and ‘Madison tournaments are very crucial from India’s point of view and one reckons that the selectors would desist from disturbing a settled combination. In this context the two day selection trials at the SAINIS complex here on Monday and Tuesday would only help tore fill a couple of vacant spots.

Also, it is just as well that the team is being picked well in advance. No doubt such a course of action is prompted by the requirement of sending names of the 16 players to Berlin by the end of this month, But it would also spare the coaches of looking after 33 players when at least 14 of the finall16 pick themselves.

The major choices to be made concern the deputy goalkeeper at Ashiah Ballal and 4 fourth half back to support BK. Subramani, Vivek Singh and Sujit Kumar. By all accounts the prominent names| for the fourth half back position are those of Vivek’s brother Prashanth and Shakee;, Prashanth was said to have played extremely ‘well during the training games and the dissecting believe that he is a player with good future, Regarding the second goalkeeper, Sub

baiah who went to Amstelveen as a deputy, did not get a look in since India played just two matches, Similarly Alloysius Edwards, whom Subbaiah replaced, only warmed the bench during the Indira Gandhi Tournament at Luck now earlier this year. When viewed in this light, his omission for the Amstelveen trip did come as a surprise. After all he did not get to play in the actual match itself.

The deep defense is in the capable hands of Pargat Singh, Mahinder Pal Singh and Ashok Kumar, It would be foolhardy to disturb the combination especially for such an important assignment. However, one supposes that fullback Nagender Singh who went to Amstelveen might have to make way. As per reports Nagender did not impress during the couple of practice games in Holland, In fact, must to accommodate Nagender a regular half back was sacrificed with Ashok Kumar being made the fourth linkman.

Up front, Mukesh Kumar, Jude Felix, Sagbir Singh, Atif Idris and Thoiba Singh, should be certainties. Itleaves two spots to be filled up. For Amstelveen tournament, Vinod Chinnappa and Sudodh Khandekar included as the two reserve forwards, but they did notgetalookin, Assuch, it would be fair to overlook their credentials especially when they have not had the opportunities in regular competitions, The same was the case with Aloysius Edwards during the Lock now tournament.

National coach MP Ganesh had said the other day that he would rather have an experienced bunch rather than to of youngsters who have not had sufficient exposure at the international level, for the two forthcoming tournaments.

Article extracted from this publication >>  May 5, 1989