New DELHI, India: Several former hockey Olympians have suggested sweeping measures to ‘check the steep decline of the game in the country.

The veterans, who did the country proud in their time, having analyzed the reason for the decline of the game have given valuable suggestion and ideas to the  Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) so that the games regains its pristine glory.

‘The Olympics, Harinder Singh, Durham Singh, Afar Irbil, Balkishen Singh, VBhaskran, Harmed Singh, Banda Patel, Blair Singh, and Haripal Kaushik, discussed ways to improve the standard of the game in 2 two-day workshop.

And all of them agreed that youngsters lack devotion and dedication “as the game does not offer them any {incentive or attraction”.

“We lack killer instinct, which is a ‘must in modern hockey,” says Harinder Singh.

He has suggested that hockey should be made popular with incentives so that more people are attracted “We can get quality out of quantity. Also, the game should be taken to grassroots level and made an essential subject in schools”.

‘Another suggestion of the veterans revolves around providing international standard infrastructure to the youngsters at an early stage. There should be proper age check in the sub junior and junior nationals, the main aim of holding these tournaments it is to get proper talent but generally overage players participate and “the real stuff is sidetracked and ignored. This aspect must be checked and defaulting player and State punished”,

Banda Patel feels the decline of the ‘game has been due to lack of stamina and speed and trying to copy foreigners and unavailability of adequate training facilities.

Patil feels the old Indian style of hockey can still be rewarding provided “we understand it and follow it with ‘out much adulteration. The 5321 method is very effective both for attack and defence”,

He said the players should remember a few important points: fist time pass, short passing mixed with through passes to wingers, inner to inner passing and using the halves Property.

Uham Singh, who played in four ‘Olympics, is of the view that poor planning before international competitions, quick changes of national ‘coaches, selection of team not on merit and lack of discipline are some of the Iain causes for the decline of the game,

udham Singh has suggested that Junior World Cup players be trained for the Seoul Olympics on the AstroTurf, Besides, no national team should be sent abroad before the Olympics ‘and the selection done purely on merit, | ensure jobs for every. national and promising player, Former chief national coach Bal kkishan Singh says: “We have not changed with the times. Hence we are left behind”, and adds: “Hockey is no ‘more India

“The equipment, the ground, the playing conditions and the rules have all changed but we are still talking about the game we played a decade ago. Indian hockey and international hockey are two different games which ‘our players are playing at the same time”. He suggested that there should be proper development through competition, scientific knowledge, continuity in coaching and training which are all vital factors for optimum performance.

He has also suggested that there should be a full ledged hockey academy “which is the need of the hour” and players should get international exposure at proper age Former Indian captain Afar Irbil says except for few hockey stars of yesterday, most of them did not encourage their sons to become hockey players because of lack of professionalism. “The game is glamour less and ‘most of the players who devoted their lifetime for it remained paupers”

Hockey, he says, is being sustained by middle class people and very few people from the elite contribute to the game, Schools and colleges have started neglecting the game, “Our coaching is half-baked, the coaches never discuss strategy and there is a vast gap between the officials and players”, the veteran winger said

Some hard decisions will have toe taken to revamp the overall system of the game in India, he said,

Former skipper, V. Bhaskran is of the view that the foremost reason for the debacle of the game is unavailability of Astroturf to the players throughout the country and the improper system of selection Hari Pal Kaushik has suggested that though many efforts have been made “but till this day there has been no specific policy for the development of Indian hockey”.

He says that due to evolution in rules and change in ground conditions, the game has gone under tremendous change.

The top position in the international scene can only be attained if the [HF adopts some concrete remedial steps and chalk out long and short term planning.

LONDON, Reuter: England and the Netherlands clinched their places in Sunday’s final of the European Cup Women’s Hockey Tournament with narrow and hard-fought victories over the Soviet Union and West German respectively on Friday.

England came from behind to beat the Soviet team 2:1 while the Netherlands, defending champions and favorites, were forced to hang on for victory after seeing a 20lead reduced to the same winning score.

Article extracted from this publication >>  September 18, 1987