HIL 2017: Dabang Mumbai coach has high hopes from Gurjant, Harmanpreet

NEW DELHI: Ahead of the 2017 Hockey India League, Dabang Mumbai are gearing up for a better season after missing out on play-off berths in the previous editions. In 2015, the franchise finished last in their first appearance, while under the tutelage of Jay Stacy, they missed out on the play-offs on goal difference in 2016.
Stacy, a two-time Olympic bronze medallist, is optimistic about his team’s performance in this edition.In an exclusive chat with TOI Sports, the 1999 World Hockey Player of the Year spoke about his team’s objective and the impact young players from India’s Junior World Cup winning team will have on their performance.
Excerpts:
What are your expectations from this season?
Our objective is always to make the play-offs and from there on we will see what happens. We were very close last year. We plan on getting to a better start this year as we were slow to start last season. We missed out on the play-offs on goal difference in 2016 and that was disappointing; on the other hand, it was an encouraging performance compared to the first season Dabang Mumbai had.
We had our backs to the walls in many games last season, but we came from behind. I remember against Delhi (Waveriders) we were trailing but the team had the belief that if we persist with our game plan and put the opposition under pressure we will get the opportunities and we did that and beat Delhi. The character of this group is good, so I am optimistic about the season.
What went wrong last season?
I was very happy with the way the team played, and the way we developed through the tournament. I don’t think the season was bad for us. It was just that we had some close matches, we were in winning positions in some but failed to close out for varying reasons, in different situations of the game - so that bit was disappointing. But overall, I was pretty happy with the development the team made and the individuals as well, they played well. This year I am certain those individuals would have developed even further and I believe they will have more impact this season.
You talked about developments of the individuals. Players like Gurjant Singh and Harmanpreet Singh are coming off the high of winning the Junior World Cup. How do you think they will carry forward that momentum into the HIL?
I was in Lucknow to observe my Victorian (Vikings) players playing for Australia in the World Cup and also watched the Indian matches. The Dabang Mumbai players in the World Cup performed very well and they had significant impact and influence on the outcome of the tournament. I am certain they would have gained a lot of confidence and belief in their abilities and I hope they can translate that into good performances for Dabang Mumbai.
Who are the key players for the team?
The first name that comes to my mind is Florian Fuchs. He is a world class player and played really well last year. We will miss Mathew Swann who has gone out with a fractured foot, but the players who have come into the team are equally good. We have Robery Kemperman from Holland and Emmanuel Stockbroekx from Belgium, and I am looking for some big performances from Gurjant, Harmanpreet and also from Nilakanta (Sharma) in midfield who has developed quite well. Affan Yousuf also has improved a lot from last year and he is looking lively, He scored a few goals for India in the recent series in Australia and is confident in his ability, so he is looking good as a scoring forward.
The HIL has been a good addition to the hockey calendar. What are your thoughts on the league?
I think HIL is great for the game. The world’s best players are playing for different franchises, matches are on every night and the access to elite level games is fantastic. Also, it is a promotion of the sport worldwide. I know for a fact that lot of my friends and colleagues back in Melbourne follow the league. The viewership is not only in India, it has started to travel worldwide and is getting bigger and bigger because most of the best players are playing here.
It is also a very good development vehicle for local Indian players and they are starting to see some benefit from that. The national team is performing really well. They probably would have hoped to do better in Rio, but things can go awry in big tournaments. Overall the players are developing well, players coming through the ranks in the next few years from the Junior World Cup-winning team will make India a very strong nation in the years to come.
You have been a very successful coach in the Australian Hockey League (AHL). How has the experience of coaching here been?
I take it as a challenge, but it is a challenge that I like. It doesn’t matter if you play for any country or or whatever principles players adhere to, I want them to show their natural ability. I want to empower them to show them their natural game and give them some guidelines to play as a team.
Last year, the team atmosphere was good, they got on very well. The players were very clear and understood their role in the team and of course the team is first and foremost in my view. Individual flair is important, but we don’t want somebody thinking about themselves. So whatever anyone does should contribute to the team’s performance.