Misc. news about Indian hockey

[jayakris]

When I drove from Geneva to Monchengladbach last year to see the India-Germany match (some 7 hours deive), I thanked myself for looking at the map online beforehand and figuring out that the hockey stadium was at the same complex where the Monchengladbach soccer stadium is.  Otherwise I would have had a hard time finding it - because there were no signs and the gas station guys I asked (just a km away from the venue) had no clue of a world cup happening and only knew of the futbol stadium.  It is really a fringe sport in Germany, but the supporters they have are die-hard folks I think.

Jay

[suresh]

I believe the biggest problem (on the field that is) is our coaches. So to see stints in the German league improving Indian Hockey, maybe our coaches should also be sent for such stints.

[wrestlinglife]

Does Jugraj still play hockey?

[suresh]

Yes, Jugraj has indeed recovered from the accident and is playing. He in fact played in the last round of the PHL -- I guess he has not reached the point where he can be considered for the national team. I don't know if he his drag-flicking is where it was before the crash.

Suresh

[jaydeep]

Yes, there are some questions despite good showing by our team at Asia Cup.

What has the IHF doing for Jugraj Singh's full recovery?
Then why is Gagan Ajit Singh out of the Indian team? That too after being the highest scorer in the PHL and having scored 8 goals in 5 matches in the Dutch league.
In German league, they r considering Deepak Thakur as a hot property (now he has joined with the Stutgaart Kickers along with Viren Rasquinha and VS Vinaya) but here he is still not consider for National side.
I also heard that Sandeep Singh is making news in Germany but then what happens with him when he play for India?

[jayakris]

I don;t want to see Gagan back in the team, unless coach Carvalho thinks he can handle him (like he has apparently done with Prabhjot, another guy who I never wanted back, but at least on paper seems to have settle down thanks to the coach).  This is not on the basis of hockey, but because of the reported attitude.  I saw Gagan screaming at the coaches at the Monchengladbach world cup.  That is enough for me to have the dude kicked out to another planet, never to return to the team.  As for Sandeep Singh, just that he has been hitting PCs in Germany does not mean that he has become good enough to play defense for India.  Plus, doing well in some German club should not be the standard for playing for the Indian hockey team.  If he keeps showing improving results in Germany, that could be a reason for us to bring him back and try him again.  I assume we would do that?

I think Carvalho should bring players in, on whom he has full authority.  A strong coach (not just a strict guy, but one who the players respect as the boss) is needed in Indian hockey.  I don't know if Carvalho has such input on team composition, but we will win a lot more if we just let our coaches go with who they think would play according to their prescription.  The current team chemisry and approach to their coach look right to me (so far), but that may be an overly optimistic conclusion from me, or may be a passing phase too.

Jay

[suresh]

I am with Jay on this. Prabhjot is the quintessential tough guy -- I can see him get into trouble with referees and fellow players as well. Carvalho seems to have an handle on the guy though. Gagan would be a similar addition and my not have that rapport with the coach. So it is safer to have the guy out of the team.

I have not watched a lot of hockey recently but Sandeep (and Raghunath) are considered liabilities on the field even though they are very good at PC's. In fact, in the Asia cup, quite often, Raghunath was not on the field and Dileep Tirkey had to be the drag flicker which correlates well with our poor PC conversion rate. If Sandeep has really improved during his German stint, that would be good news for us.

[jaydeep]

National coach Joaquim Carvalho strongly objected to the announcement of cash awards by Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel and the state governments of Maharashtra, Haryana, Jharkhand and Karnataka to the cricketers while ignoring Asia Cup victory ... Agree its "step-motherly treatment" but then our hockey federation doesn't helping their own players (in promoting or putting their case forward with their states and employers) how they expect things change suddenly?

- Six members of the winning squad, who are employed with national carrier Air India, would be given out of turn promotion; Dhoni, Yuvraj, Irfan Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, Rudra Pratap Singh and Robin Uthappa.
- All the 15 members of the winning squad and their family members will also be given additional free travel benefits for five years. (Air India)
- 80 lacs for every member of the team ... (from BCCI)
- sahara house for every member ... (Sahara)
- yuvraj gets 1 crore and Porsche car ... (BCCI and Lalit Modi)
- 5 lacs for Sehwag and Gambhir ... (Delhi)
- 5 lacs for Robin ... (Karnataka)
- 10 lacs for RP Singh (U P)
- 10 lacs for Ajit and Rohit ... (Maharashtra)
- 25 lacs for Joginder Sharma ... (Haryana)
- 'Surprise' gift for Dhoni ... (Jharkhand )

[url=http://]Indian hockey players to go on hunger strike[/url]

"Coach Ramesh Parameswaran, manager R K Shetty and four players (Vikram Kanth, V R Rahunath, S V Sunil and Ignace Tirkey, who was recently nominated for the Ekalaywa Award by the Karnataka government) are to go on hunger strike before the Karnataka Chief Minister's house."

[Sathya]

I fully support these hockey players who are not even called up and congratulated by these BLOODY Politicians, leave alone Money. I was talking about this yesterday to my wife... today I get to hear this news. I fully and whole heartedly support these players and appreciate their frustrations and feelings. They have done us proud after loooong time but yet to get a single line of appreciation.

Go My Dear Coach ! I love you and love your team and love their performance in Asia Cup !!! Get that Olympic Spot we will make more noise for you. Finish with a medal in Olympics, we will provide much more support for you.

[shibi]

I agree with the sentiments expressed by the hockey players. While I enjoyed the Indian victory in the Twenty20 world cup, I think the celebrations are going overboard. After all, Cricket is a game which is played only in a dozen or two countries at the most and there is nothing to gloat over this victory. BCCI is perfectly right in announcing a big pay packet for the players because its coffers are full and it wants to fight off the ICL challenge. But I cannot understand the generosity of the state governments in rewarding the rich cricketers. The money should have been better spent for improving the basic infrastructure in sports/ encouraging deserving sportspersons including those of hockey.

[suresh]

I also support the hockey players on this -- look the rich cricketers are getting richer. All of  a sudden, we discover that Dhoni works for Air India and so on. Carvalho was on TV where he made the correct point that he is not against the cricketers getting money but that hockey players get peanuts, if anything. Remember the 1000 rupees offered to them for every goal they scored. A masala dosai (IIRC Jay said that) would be a more palatable option. Even Dhanraj Pillay didn't get to make money -- I remember he came up with the idea of recycling printer cartridges to come up with cash for a hockey academy. Anyway, this has always been the problem but I am glad to see the hockey players and coach react immediately.

[Atithee]

I agree that hockey players do not get anywhere close to what the cricketers do.  But their gripe (grapes?) would be less sour if they won the world cup first.  Right now, we are trying to qualify for the olympics for crying out loud.  Winning Asia cup may be a watershed event for current Indian hockey, but is certainly no where close to deserve equal treatment to winning a world championship.

P.S. I have already expressed my disgust at the state governments' stampede to reward their "own" cricketers.

[Sathya]

I agree Atithee 100% with you. In terms of comparison, winning Asia cup WILL NOT stand equal to winning world cup !

BUT, they (Hockey team) at least deserve a word of appreciation with small piece of cash award for their efforts. These stupid politicians wont even know (I bet) how many players from their state represented India in Asian Cup Hockey. This is what we are objecting to. They should not support cricketers in order to be in Lime light.

We should also not forget Foot Ball team which won Nehru cup, didn't get promotions (at least not known to me) and fraction of these kind of rewards.

[Atithee]

I agree Atithee 100% with you. In terms of comparison, winning Asia cup WILL NOT stand equal to winning world cup !

BUT, they (Hockey team) at least deserve a word of appreciation with small piece of cash award for their efforts. These stupid politicians wont even know (I bet) how many players from their state represented India in Asian Cup Hockey. This is what we are objecting to. They should not support cricketers in order to be in Lime light.

We should also not forget Foot Ball team which won Nehru cup, didn't get promotions (at least not known to me) and fraction of these kind of rewards.

Yes, I agree.

[nballa]

i agree hockey players should get the same treatment.

lets burn some effigies of hockey players and pelt their homes with stones when they lose. now all we need is to find out who they are and where they live(punjab is it?)

on a serious note it might not be far fetched to take legal action against the chief ministers for donating state money to their favourite players, who the hell are they to use citizens tax money to reward their favourite players.