Hosts ready to tackle mighty Punjab
Almost all the faces were dull and players appeared hopeless on the eve of their quarterfinal matches in the 7th Senior National Men’s A Division Hockey Championship, at the Padamshree Mohd Shahid stadium here on Wednesday.
They believe that jobless youths, if performed well in the knockout matches, would get jobs, while players in different organisations are gunning for a promotion and increment, if they finish on top.
“Getting a job is the sole motive of most of my players as only a few have jobs. That is the only motivation for boys as no one is going to be selected even for the core group, even if he performs extraordinarily,” a state team coach told HT on condition of anonymity.
He, however, criticized the Hockey India for having 55 teams in both A and B divisions, including 35 in B division. “Having so many teams in the nationals, including those who have no experience of hockey, has ruined country’s hockey standard. So many teams of organisations have made things difficult for state teams, which are unable to collect 18 players to form a team,” he said.
“HI’s focus is on Hockey India League and its apathetic attitude towards senior nationals have made the event just an all-India level event, which has lost all its charm,” he added.
Certainly, for players like Arjun Halappa, Adrian D’Souza, VS Vinaya, Shivendra Singh, Gurbaj Singh, Dharamvir Singh, Gurjant Singh, Sarvanjit Singh and Gurvinder Singh Chandi this is like another day of hockey as they all have jobs.
Former India coach and now in charge of Punjab and Sind Bank side Rajinder Singh also flayed the treatment being given to senior nationals. “The event has lost its charm. For teams like us, it is just an advertisement for the bank, otherwise there is little at stake for the players,” he said.
“For us, it’s a matter of prestige as we are playing before the home crowd and boys know the pressure,” UP’s coach Neeraj Pant said.
“We have chalked out the strategy for every quarter and we have to tighten our defence further,” he said. “Now, there is no second chance for the side in the knockout game and everyone has to out his best foot forward to ensure team’s victory,” he added.
On Thursday in quarterfinals, defending champions Railway Sports Promotion Board will take on Comptroller & Auditor General of India at 7.30 am, followed by Chandigarh vs Mumbai Hockey Academy Limited at 9.30 am, Punjab & Sind Bank at 3.00 pm, and last year runners-up Punjab vs hosts Uttar Pradesh at 5.00 pm.