Asian champions trophy

[Ankit Desai]

Schedule for 1st Asian Champions trophy.

Matches schedule:
Sept 3: South Korea v Japan, India v China, Pakistan v Malaysia.
Sept 4: Japan v India, South Korea v Malaysia, Pakistan v China.
Sept 6: China v Malaysia, Pakistan v Japan, India v South Korea.
Sept 7: Malaysia v India, China v Japan, Pakistan v South Korea.
Sept 9: Pakistan v India, South Korea v China, Malaysia v Japan.
Sept 11: Final, classification matches 5th v 6th, 3rd v 4th.

Looks like this is going to be annual event too so, starting a new thread.

Ankit

[Ankit Desai]

India to take on China in Asian Champions Trophy opener

Men:

September 3 - India v China
September 4 - Japan v India
September 6 - India v Korea
September 7 - Malaysia v India
September 9 - India v Pakistan
September 11 - Classification Matches & Final

Women:

September 4 - Korea v India
September 6 - Japan v India
September 8 - China v India
September 10 - Bronze Medal Match & Final.

-Ankit

[prasen9]

Any bets on how long it will take us to not qualify for this one?

[Atithee]

I think we will beat Malaysia

[jayakris]

How are you so sure? We lost to them recently, no? Jay

[Atithee]

Of course, I was being facetious even though we generally beat Malaysia. My point was that we'll be lucky if we can beat China and Japan. No hope from the women's team. We do well only in the fantasy world of Bollywood such as the rubbish plot of Chak de. I could believe Lagaan but Chak de was simply foolish probably trying to build on the anti-Australia sentiment prevailing at that time (I am not sure of the exact timing). Have you any idea what happened to the Indian students now?

[jaydeep]

Fitness to take precedence, says Nobbs

Hockey squad for Asian Champions Trophy to be picked on Friday

Confusion rules rebels' hearing

[Sandeep]

The team is selected for Asian champions trophy

Goalkeepers: Bharat Chetri, PR Sreejesh.

Defenders: Sandeep Singh, Rupinder Pal Singh, Harpreet Singh.

Midfielders: Sardar Singh, Gurbaj Singh, Ignace Tirkey, Manpreet Singh, Manjit Kullu.

Forwards: Rajpal Singh (captain), Danish Mujtaba, Sarvanjit Singh, SV Sunil, Ravi Pal, Gurvinder Singh Chandi, Roshan Minz, Yuvraj Walmiki.

Standbys: Kamaldeep Singh (Goalkeeper), VR Raghunath (Defender), Vikas Sharma (Midfielder), Birender Lakra (Midfielder), Mandip Antil (Forward), Chinglensana Singh Kangujam (Forward).

Good to see the rebels, Sandeep Singh and Sardara Singh find a place in the squad.

[Ankit Desai]

The team is selected for Asian champions trophy....

I am looking forward to Champions Trophy in Dec, not Asian champions trophy.

Asian champions trophy will be tournament to experiment for Nobbs. I would not read much out of it's result.

Ankit

[Sandeep]

Why not? Asia has some decent teams, isn't it? Of course, champions trophy is a much bigger tournament but no need to undermine a victory here if it happens.

[jaydeep]

Yes, agree with Sandeep ... Good required practice for our players (and Nobbs) before big test in December.

[Ankit Desai]

Why not? Asia has some decent teams, isn't it? Of course, champions trophy is a much bigger tournament but no need to undermine a victory here if it happens.

I was expecting above question. .

Reason to not consider Asian Champions Trophy is not base on their ranking or quality of teams participating in the tournament. No doubt we will playing against good teams like Pk, Korea.

But, amount of time Nobbs spent with Indian team. The date camp start to this day management was focusing on fitness of players. And those players include team for tournament and pool of 30 players.So, Nobbs practically didn't get time to test combinations and strategy for each players against each team(in the context of , at least he should have idea how each team play).

So actual formation of combination and strategy will start from tomorrow. I know they had some practice sessions to check how each player is playing but those do not count as, those to test fitness of each player and their role at position eg. forward, winger, link man etc.

Asian champions Trophy will be the first tournament in which Nobbs will get chance to test combinations and strategies against teams in real time. I hope He will get more before start of tournament as practice matches.

For above said reason I said Champions trophy is good tournament to judge Nobbs. By that time in dec, we may have played 4-5 tournaments and He should have clear idea of pool of 20-30 players by than.

So, people please don't just judge Nobbs by ACT (Asian Champions Trophy). If any coach can claim a number one position with current stat of Indian team than there is a big question mark on that coach's credibility.

I would like to see Indian finish on podium, even if they will win than, also I don't read much out of it. But my answer is same as Nobbs giving in interview that "if we will win the ACT than we are on right path if we don't than time to go back to Drawing Board". And in loose answer remains the same.

It is a process and it will take time. Target should be Olympic qualification.

Ankit

[jaydeep]

Something is terribly wrong with Indian team ..

Sandeep Singh, Sardara Singh quit camp

Many reasons were being floated in the camp, including the divisions which have hurt the fabric of the team but what seemed plausible at this stage was the confession that they were not "mentally prepared" to be part of the team which had "isolated them".

Apparently, Sardara did not see eye-to-eye with skipper Rajpal Singh and was not in talking terms with him, affecting their rapport on the field. Sandeep's equation with the others isn't clear but what was evident in Monday's happenings is that all is not hunky-dory. In a meeting with chief coach Michael Nobbs on Monday, Sandeep said he had his child to tend to while Sardar uttered a lot less. "They just left," Nobbs said, hinting that they didn't meet him to get his permission. "Sardara said he's quitting and Sandeep said he's got problems with his child. Sandeep said, 'I'm leaving, here's my letter, my flight's booked and I've got to leave'."

[ssp]

What is wrong with Indian hockey. Nothing ever works smoothly. There always HAS to be some drama.
Losing Sardara is a blow and looks like he will be gone for a long time...perhaps for good. We can't afford to lose the one quality player that we have!

[jaydeep]

Drag-flicker V Raghunath and mid-fielder Vikas Kumar was roped in place of Sandeep Singh and Sardara Singh in the squad for the Asian Champions.

Raghunath, Vikas Kumar picked in place Sardara, Sandeep

But this situation is taking ugly turn ... As usual HI and IHF playing mud-throwing game.

HI calls meeting of selectors, coaches to sort out players' issue

Sardar, Sandeep asked to attend HI meeting to sort out mess

Batra also blamed Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) for Tuesday's happenings. "There are reports that the IHF is playing all these games from behind. If this continues we will not be able to qualify for the Olympics which the IHF wants," Batra was quoted as saying by agencies.

"Discipline is paramount and the Indian team has no place for those who are indisciplined," Grewal told TOI. "What Sardar and Sandeep did cannot be pardoned. We don't want them back in the team."

Nobbs was equally assertive. "They have no place in the team for the foreseeable future. The two players signed a document, pledging that they wouldn't do this to the team, Hockey India or me. I am disappointed with what they have done. I could never trust what they say in the future.

Nobbs said the turn of events had strengthened his resolve to focus more on the youth. "The young kids are the future and the quicker we develop them the quicker India moves ahead. Now the focus will be on youth. No matter what the result is in China, we will promote the youth," he said.