Indian hockey captain talks to Chander Shekhar Luthra on accusations of indiscipline against senior midfielder and the Paul Van Ass saga.
Indian hockey captain talks to Chander Shekhar Luthra on accusations of indiscipline against senior midfielder and the Paul Van Ass saga. Excerpts...
How do you sum up former coach Paul Van Ass's sudden exit?
It's not good that coaches are being changed so often. It's not just frustrating for the players, but it also affects the team's performance. Ric Charlesworth, Jose Brasa, Michael Nobbs, Terry Walsh and now Van Ass, all left because of the issues between them and Hockey India (HI). The players can't do much about it. Our job is to play and perform on the field. However, (high-performance director and chief coach Roelant) Oltmans knows all the team members for the last three years and we, too, understand his style of coaching. It thus won't be difficult to adapt to his style.
Was Van Ass's style of coaching confusing?
He did not get enough time to execute his thoughts and plans. He was in charge for only five months. He certainly had a few things on his mind and that's why he was experimenting with the players' positions. Every player has his own opinion and it's possible that some of them failed to relate to his coaching style. Personally, I did not have any problem. No one can doubt his credentials as a coach as his time with the Holland national team was great.
Oltmans wants more support staff under him?
Yes, we need a psychologist on an immediate basis.
Senior midfielder Gurbaj Singh has been accused of misbehaving with coaches and creating disharmony within the team. Are you aware of it?
I personally asked Gurbaj about it and all the other players whether such a thing had happened. I got nothing against him and, in fact, everyone spoke highly about him. As a captain, it's my responsibility to keep the team united. I should be aware of what's happening on and off the ground. He has also been accused of disrespecting the coaches. I don't know about that. I believe Gurbaj has requested for a hearing and he will get a chance to put forth his side of the story. I personally never witnessed any bad behaviour from Gurbaj.
If the players have to depose before the HI's special committee members, are you ready to openly back him?
We will tell the committee members that there is no divide in the team and that Gurbaj never indulged in such things. We all love and respect him.
The team conceded too many goals against higher-ranked sides during the Hockey World League (HWL) Semifinals recently. Are you looking to tackle this issue on a priority basis before the 2016 Rio Games?
Most of our key players were injured and there was shortage of experience during the HWL Semifinals. Our core group was not there and Van Ass, too, was experimenting with playing positions. I agree that conceding so may goals was a poor showing on our part. It's unacceptable, but that's how you will come to know about your best 16 before the Rio Games.
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