Sardar needs to distribute better: Terry Walsh

NEW DELHI: The hockey team skipper Sardar Singh will be under close observation when he steps onto the turf during the matches at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games. No doubt, he will be marked by the rival defenders, but this time around chief coach Terry Walsh too will be keeping a close watch on him. “Sometimes he doesn’t release the ball at crucial junctures. It proves unproductive,” Walsh had said before the team’s departure to Glasgow.

The inconsistency, according to Walsh, was observed during the recently concluded World Cup at The Hague, and it was addressed during the preparatory camp. During the World Cup, Walsh and Dutch high-performance director Roelant Oltmans had jotted down the vital points that were hampering the team’s progress, and this was one of the more pressing issues.

The issues, according to Oltmans, were thoroughly addressed during the preparatory camp. “We hope the players are able to respond in a more professional manner this time,” he added. If Oltmans is to be believed, though strategy for every match was chalked out thoroughly, the players weren’t able to implement the plan. “Things never went on expected lines,” he said. Oltmans’ observation was that the players were indulging in “individual play” at crucial junctures. “It’s not advisable to dribble the ball when the opposition is in big numbers,” he said, adding that, in a melee, players generally tend to lose the ball, which often results in counter attacks. “Such big tactical blunders can prove costly.”

Lack of self-belief was another issue that was observed during the World Cup. Over the period of time, players may have enhanced their fitness, but they “haven’t matured mentally”. Wilting under pressure, observed Oltmans, indicates that the mindset of the players is not tuned to playing high-voltage matches.

Perhaps this is why Walsh is looking at overall improvement in performance for now, and not aiming for the top slot in Glasgow. He expects better results at the Incheon Asian Games beginning September 19. The continental competition offers an automatic berth for 2016 Rio Olympics Games. And, missing a chance in South Korea, will only add to the pressure.