News 03 February 2014
All the news for Monday 3 February 2014
Fifth-Test draw leaves series outcome in the balance
JONATHAN COOK in Cape Town
Tarryn Bright (right) and Belgium's Maureen Beernaert during the SA midfielder's 250th Test match at Hartleyvale in Cape Town Sunday.
Belgium, desperate not to lose, fought back to draw the fifth Test 1-1 with a dominant Investec South Africa women’s hockey team at Hartleyvale Sunday after the score was 0-0 at half-time.
Pietie Coetzee opened the scoring from the penalty spot for SA to go 1-0 up in the 57th minute. It was the world record goalscorer’s 279th successful strike in 280 Test matches. SA should have scored more - and their below-par finishing kept the Belgians in the game, allowing the Europeans to keep the series outcome alive when Stephanie van den Borre rounded off a wonderful move nine minutes from the end (61st).
The six-Test series now stands at 2-1 to SA with two drawn. The sixth and final Test is at 7pm Monday. A win for Belgium Monday will see them share the series, while a draw will be enough for SA to take the rubber.
If SA had won, they would have clinched the series, while a win for the Europeans would have left the series open for either side to win in the final match.
Both sides started in enterprising mood and made frequent incursions into the strike zones but the key moment in the opening quarter-hour saw Shelley Russell bundled off the ball, which resulted in the first penalty corner after 13 minutes. Coetzee’s drag-flick was repelled by keeper Elena Sotgiu.
In the 16h Sulette Damons showed tremendous pace down the right wing to outstrip the defence. However, her quality layoff to Kelly Madsen was not converted into something tangible on the scoreboard.
Hardworking SA midfielder Tarryn Bright – the double Olympian playing in her 250th Test match – was always alert to the early pass and South Africa’s ability to string exciting moves together down the right saw Coetzee get in a half-shot that Sotgiu covered.
Quanita Bobbs, still only 20, continued to impress in her new position at left half with exemplary control and distribution under pressure.
In the 22nd minute Belgium captain Charlotte Vos brought a good save out of Hanli Hattingh and the keeper did the same from Belgium’s first PC – a solid drag-flick by Anne-Sophie de Scheemaekere.
The Europeans’ fightback continued with PC numbers two and three. Louise Cavenaile breached the defence with the latter but the “goal” was disallowed.
Illse Davids, tireless captain Marsha Cox and Damons put together another promising move two minutes from the break but the teams went into half-time 0-0.
SA continued to carve holes in the Belgians’ defensive screen and Damons, Davids as well as Kathleen Taylor came close to opening the scoring, but it was in the final pass or the finishing that the South Africans were coming short.
Taylor managed to get off a shot with 22 minutes left and a minute later Bernie Coston was brought down heavily by Judith van Meiren in the 23-metre area. However, South Africa’s second PC came to nought.
A tense affair, with so much at stake, Marcelle Manson, Lisa Deetlefs and Nicolene Terblanche did well to steer SA out of trouble on occasion but a Belgian went down heavily shortly after and the Europeans were awarded their fourth PC, Coston as first-wave defence blotting out the threat.
Coetzee then stroked a 30-metre through ball that was picked up by the high-lying Lilian du Plessis. Umpire Wanri Venter had no hesitation in awarding a penalty stroke when she judged the striker had been impeded and Coetzee made no mistake from the spot for 1-0 in the 57th minute.
With eight left, midfielder Madsen speared a great pass to Du Plessis in the strike zone but the frontrunner was unable to control the ball. In the 61st Belgian conjured up a beautiful move out of deep defence. Anouk Raes freed up Emilie Sinia, who crossed from the right for Van den Borre to equalise in spectacular fashion (1-1).
SA Hockey Association media release
Hockeyroos conclude tour to South Africa
The Hockeyroos’ training camp tour to South Africa concluded with a fourth practice match against the world number one side, the Netherlands. Having match the Dutch in a goalless first half the score sheet came alive late in the second period with four goals in the final 16 minutes of the game.
Kim Lamers, who netted twice in Saturday’s match, opened the scoring in the 54th minute and, as they had done two months earlier in the final of the World League, the Netherlands hit the Hockeyroos with a quick-fire double-whammy as Lidewij Welten made it 2-0 in the 56th minute.
With the Aussie women pressing to find a way back into the match late on, Lamers bagged her second to put the Olympic champions three goals up before WA’s Jayde Taylor pulled one back in the final minutes to make it 3-1.
The match was the finale to a two week, seven game tour based in Stellenbosch and Cape Town with the Hockeyroos having earlier played three Tests against South Africa, winning, drawing and losing one each.
Hockey Australia media release
Reading crowned Maxi5s Champions
It was a goal filled game for Reading in the Women’s Maxinutrition Hockey 5s final with a 9-2 win over Bowdon Hightown.
Reading started the match with a goal from Helen Richardson-Walsh in the opening minute. This was swiftly followed by further goals from Emily Maguire, Becky Halle and Captain Emma Thomas. A four goal lead over their opponents put Reading in a favourable position at the half time break.
Seven more goals were scored in the second half, with two goals for each team occurring in the final two minutes. For Reading, Susie Gilbert got her name on the score sheet not once, but twice and Thomas, Richardson-Walsh and Halle all bought their total goals up to two.
A convincing 9-2 win over Bowdon Hightown crowned Reading the winners of the Women’s Maxinutrition Hockey 5s tournament.
Becky Halle said after the match "It feels amazing to win player of the match, Bowdon are always a very good indoor side. We did our homework before the match and we all knew the job we had to do so we did it."
England Hockey Board Media release
East Grinstead cruise in to the final at Wembley
Action at Wembley Arena in the Maxinutrition 5s Hockey Finals is underway. Defending champions East Grinstead beat underdogs Holcombe 9-3 in the first men’s semi-final. A hat-trick from Niall Stott gave East Grinstead an early cushion, and they stretched their lead to 6-0 at half-time through goals from Adam Jordan, David Condon and Joe Naughalty.
Holcombe had an uphill battle facing them for the second half, and started brightly with a goal from captain Richard Lane giving them a glimmer of hope. But in the end, East Grinstead put the game beyond reach for Holcombe with further goals from Condon, Ross Stott and Adam Jordan. Holcombe’s David Appleton and Michael Hughes got on the score sheet in the final ten minutes, but East Grinstead’s defence remained solid and they progressed comfortably in to the final.
Goals Galore in Second Semi-Final Match
Canterbury booked their place in the final of the Maxinutrition Hockey 5s with a thrilling 9-8 win over Reading. The crowd inside Wembley Arena were treated to end-to-end hockey throughout and a close climax to the game.
Canterbury opened their account in the first minute through Ali Bray, before Liam Foster doubled their lead in the tenth minute. However, Reading immediately replied through captain Richard Springham, then equalized through Reading stalwart Jonty Clarke and took the lead with a Tom Carson strike in the 15th minute. Canterbury were not going to stay down though, and Michael Farrer then Kwan Browne scored to give them a 4-3 half-time lead.
The second half continued in the same vein, with goals shared throughout the half - Carson equalizing again for Reading, then Bray restoring Canterbury's lead. Subsequent goals from Chris Newman and Richard Mantell for Reading and Mickell Pierre for Canterbury took the score to 6-6. Then the decisive spell of the game came, as Canterbury scored goals through Liam Foster and Ben Allberry to give them a useful 2-goal lead with 5 minutes to play. John Jackson brought Reading to within one goal, but Hardeep Jawanda reinstated Canterbury's 2-goal. A tense and heated final few minutes and a second goal for Reading's captain Springham was not enough to deny Canterbury their place in the final.
England Hockey Board Media release
East Grinstead retain indoor crown
East Grinstead won their sixth indoor title in a row at the Maxinutrition Hockey 5s Final today at Wembley Arena with a comprehensive 8-4 victory over Canterbury. A world-class performance from goalkeeper Filip Neusser earned him a deserved Man of the Match award.
Captain Glenn Kirkham said after the match "Last year was all about equalling the record, so there was a little bit of pressure on our shoulders. It has been nice to be captain during this really successful perioud."
Canterbury began the game controlling possession, putting pressure on East Grinstead who were confident enough to sit back in defence. Canterbury did eventually craft a good chance, which brought a top-class save from East Grinstead's Neusser.
The first goal of the game came from a fast counter-attack as Mark Pearn stole the ball deep in his own half. He powered the length of the pitch and delivered the ball for David Condon to finish at the back post.
What followed then was a series of fierce Canterbury attacks as they looked to get reward for all the possession they had enjoyed. But Neusser stood up to everything thrown at him, making a series of saves that got the crowd on their feet.
In the tenth minute, East Grinstead doubled their lead as Simon Faulkner scored from a penalty corner. But Canterbury scored a penalty corner of their own three minutes later, Kwan Browne converting a simple chance as Neusser was off the pitch, keeping them in the game.
Mark Pearn was having a good game, and popped up to score before Kwan Browne converted another penalty corner as half time arrived. 3-2 down at the break, Canterbury didn't look out of it by any means. East Grinstead scored early in the second half with a neat finish from Joe Naughalty, taking their lead to 4-2.
Ben Allberry's goal for Canterbury in the 25th minute again kept East Grinstead from running away with the match, but then three goals in seven minutes gave them a comfortable cushion. Ross Stott scored the first two of these, Pearn the third. At 7-3, the game was all but over. Niall Stott got a late goal for East Grinstead, and Browne completed his hat-trick with another classy penalty corner strike.
Kirkham said of his team "We've worked massively on our defence over the last couple of weeks, you could see there was hardly anything getting through us today because we were well-organised. Our game plan has really come together rand it was great to be able to perform today."
England Hockey Board Media release
East Grinstead win record sixth national indoor hockey title as Reading defend women's trophy in style
East Grinstead sweep to more indoor success at Maxinutrition 5's as Reading women defend title with one-way victory at Wembley Arena
By Rod Gilmour, Wembley Arena
Not even a raft of rule changes could stop East Grinstead powering to a record sixth straight Maxinutrition Hockey 5s indoor title at Wembley Arena on Sunday night as rivals Canterbury were cast aside 8-4.
East Grinstead primed themselves for the second-half of the outdoor season - which reconvenes next weekend - with a flawless display of incisive passing in a fast-paced final.
Brothers Ross and Niall Stott scored three between them as East Grinstead always kept their noses in front, while Kwan Browne, the exceptional Trinidadian playmaker, scored a hat-trick for Canterbury.
That East Grinstead finished the season unbeaten was down to Filip Neusser, their unflappable Czech goalkeeper, who again highlighted why he is regarded as one of the best exponents of the indoor game.
Neusser was outstanding in the semi-final as Holcombe were ousted 9-3, before making a string of early saves in the final.
Glenn Kirkham, East Grinstead’s captain, said: “It’s not only his saves in front of goal, it’s his tactical nous and he has a big part in how we play. His experience is just huge.”
Of the four matches on Sunday, the semi-final between Canterbury and Reading proved the highlight - as well as serving evidence of the rule changes enforced by the International Hockey Federation this season, which included one less player to a five-a-side format.
Canterbury saw off Reading in a 17-goal thriller as both sides employed contrasting tactics. It made for a riveting encounter, too, as Reading kept their goalkeeper in play for much of the 40 minutes, while Canterbury opted for a rolling 'kicking back', with teams having the option of replacing the goalkeeper to provide an extra field player. Canterbury won 9-8.
Despite the changes - and teams will be far more prepared next season - Reading continued their merry march in the women's game.
In a one-sided final, Reading thrashed Bowdon Hightown 9-2 to defend their title in emphatic style.
Their star-studded side proved too skilful and creative for Bowdon. Helen Richardson-Walsh started off the rout inside 30 seconds and the England international then scored her second, Reading’s ninth, at the death with a neat flick.
Emma Thomas, Reading’s captain who missed a penalty when Bowdon won the 2011 final, said: "That was our most complete performance ever and we executed our game plan wonderfully.”
Reading will now be one of the favourites to win the European Indoor Championships later this month in Lithuania. Such is their current prowess in front of goal, Thomas believes that they making rival sides "step up their standards".
"I think it is exciting that we can go out and nearly score 10 goals in a game," she added, "which hasn't happened in women's hockey for a while.
The Telegraph
Towering Czech goalkeeper Filip Neusser stands out from Wembley crowd to lift East Grinstead
The Sussex side were indebted to Filip Neusser for a second year running with Czech stopper earning man-of-the-match at Maxinutrition Hockey 5's Finals
By Rod Gilmour, Wembley Arena
Stand out performer: Filip Neusser proved a nuisance to Canterbury in the final Photo: ADY KERRY
When East Grinstead announced in November they had signed their tall Czech goalkeeper, Filip Neusser, for a second indoor season, rival teams must have been left wondering where on earth their goals were going to come from.
Neusser is simply a towering nuisance in front of goal, as Canterbury found out to their cost at Wembley Arena on Sunday when they were beaten 8-4 in the Maxinutrition Hockey 5's final.
Neusser, by a distance the man-of-the-match, thrust himself this way and that, racing out of goal and back to thwart a succession of Canterbury attacks. The Czech put in a shift, too, as testified by his 21 saves over the 40 minutes.
It was a world-class performance, yet he refused to take the plaudits, despite coming into his own as something of an indoor specialist.
"It was just a normal match for me," said the 33 year-old, who played a key role in East Grinstead's 100 per cent record this season. "It was a fantastic atmosphere, which made the final different, so of course you want to lift yourself and be the best in front of this crowd."
East Grinstead would dearly love to resign Neusse for a third season, but he does have offers in Germany to mull over.
Neusser said: "I will see. Because of this event and that we have qualified for Europe again, then I will have to think about it and try to be here again."
One senses that Neusser want to continue to revel in front of large crowds, rather than half the Czech's goal difference. Moreover, he is enthused as to England Hockey's promotion of the indoor finals.
"The promotion here is big progress, even the Germans, how good they are, can't do it like this," he admitted.
"But more needs to be invested in the indoor game here if you want to improve. If England wants to be the best then that needs to happen, especially as both men and women were just relegated from Division A."
Neusser was referring to both England teams failing to make next year's Indoor World Cup. However, relatively inexperienced teams were sent out to the EuroHockey Indoor Championships and both came close to surviving the drop. A period of rebuilding is in progress.
For Neusser, essentially a "free player" with no contract, it is now a chance to return to his family in Prague.
After Wembley witnessed two athletic performances between the posts, he's also in need of the break to rest his weary legs.
"The question is 'for how long can I do this?'" the 33 year-old admitted. "For the flexibility makes you really tired. I would like to play for another five years but it's getting tough."
With the new indoor rules (from six to five-a-side) making life even harder for goalkeepers, Neusser believes that he now has to change his training regime in order to prolong his career.
"The reason I started playing in goal was that I didn't have to run," he added. "Now I have to run and sprint, so, no, I'm not enjoying it."
Glenn Kirkham, the East Grinstead skipper, said of Neusser: "Changing back to five-a-side, it was always going to be difficult, but he is a class 'keeper. Not only that, it's what he brings to the whole team.
"The bonus is that we are in the indoor A division and if we can progress then it will make him come back next year."
Seventh heaven looms for Neusser and East Grinstead.
The Telegraph
Kalinga Lancers succumb to a hard fought battle
Tazeen Qureshy
Kalinga Lancers succumbed to Delhi Waveriders 4-3 after playing a hard fought battle. The Lancers, which had lost 5-0 in earlier encounter against Delhi, surprised everyone with their quick moves and aggressive hockey.
After Rupinder scored the first goal for Delhi Waveriders off a Penalty Corner, Lucas Villa came to the rescue of Lancers equalizing the score with his Penalty stroke. Delhi goalie Jacobi was completely beaten as he dived in the opposite direction of the ball.
However, Simon Child lived up to his reputation and scored a brilliant reverse which could not be anticipated by Harjot Singh. By the end of first half, the Waveriders were leading 2-1.
Simon Child shone in the third quarter again when he and Yuvraj Walmiki combined to gift another goal to Delhi. Trailing by two goals, the Lancers now looked hungry for a comeback.
The chance came in the third quarter itself when Gonzalo Peillat, after missing two penalty corners finally managed to cage the ball in the nets, reducing the score margin.
Fourth quarter witnessed neck to neck competition when Lucas Villa’s slight deflection of Gonzalo’s Penalty flick ensured the equalizer for the Lancers. However, Arjun Hallappa denied the home team of an easy draw after his rebound wen straight into the nets.
Stick2Hockey.com
Delhi Waveriders win thriller
Delhi Waveriders maintained its successful record against Kalinga Lancers, downing the latter 4-3 in an absorbing Hockey India League clash at the Kalinga Stadium on Sunday.
Drag-flicker Rupinder Pal Singh showed great efficiency in finding the net after Waveriders were awarded a penalty corner in the fourth minute.
Riding on the initial advantage, Delhi looked set for a repeat of the 5-0 win it earned against the same opponent at home three days ago.
But there was a twist in the script as the Lancers, showing better cohesion, struck back in the second quarter.
With its Argentine forward Lucas Villa breaching the Waveriders defence with more regularity, Lancers were hopeful of an equaliser. It eventually arrived from a 22nd minute penalty after Villa was pushed in the box by Waveriders defender Rupinder Pal. Waveriders regrouped quickly and regained the lead in the 27th minute through a spectacular effort from New Zealand forward Simon Child. Child was equally impressive in his next effort in the 40th minute when he produced a diving shot to take Waveriders 3-1 ahead in the third quarter.
Lancers again hit back through two penalty corners — one each from Gonzalo Peillat and Villa — to level matters at 3-3 in the 56th minute. But the Delhi side got back into its rhythm and found the winner thanks to the seasoned Arjun Halappa in the 58th minute.
The results: Delhi Waveriders 4 (Rupinder Pal Singh 4, Simon Child 27, 40, Arjun Halappa 58) bt Kalinga Lancers 3 (Lucas Villa 22, 56, Gonzalo Peillat 45).
At Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Wizards 2 (David Alegre 12, S.K. Uthappa 54) drew with Jaypee Punjab Warriors 2 (Jake Whetton 6, Satbir Singh 50).
The Hindu
Valiant Lancers bow to Delhi Waveriders
Sambuddha Chakraborty,
BHUBANESWAR: On paper they were undoubtedly the better side but on Sunday, the Delhi Waveriders realized Terry Walsh's wards were no pushovers as a valiant Kalinga Lancers pushed them all the way before going down 3-4 here in their HIL tie on Sunday.
On Saturday, ahead of their match against the Mumbai Magicians, the Lancers coach had said that back-to-back matches would be tiring for his team. Captain Prabodh Tirkey & Co, though, fresh from their triumph against Mumbai, exhibited no signs of tiredness as the home team started on a positive note against Waveriders.
Delhi took the lead through their first penalty corner. Rupinder, known for his superb drag-flicks, then, unleashed a ferocious one which caught Lancers custodian Harjot Singh napping in the fifth minute of the first quarter.
The Lancers, though, answered back soon. Looking enterprising in their midfield the Lancers built up the pressure upon the Delhi defence and soon were rewarded with a penalty which was converted by Lucas Vila. The evening, though, belonged to Simon Child of New Zealand. Declared Man of the Match, the experienced Delhi midfielder produced two brilliant reverse flicks to get his side 2-1 up in the second and third quarter, respectively.
The Lancers, led by the brilliance of Ryan Archibald and Lucas Vila in the midfield, roared back into the contest with Gonzalo Peillat converting their fourth penalty corner. Vila then scored the equalizer in the fourth quarter, only for veteran Arjun Halappa to tap in the winning following a goalmouth melee in the Lancers defence.
The Times of India
Stockmann shines for Punjab Warriors
Asheem Mukerji
LUCKNOW: Jaap Stockmann turned out to be the 'Stopman' as the Punjab Warriors goalkeeper helped his team keep Uttar Pradesh Wizards to a 2-2 draw in their Hockey India League match at Dhyanchand stadium on Sunday.
The Dutch goalkeeper made at least eight smart saves to save the day for the Warriors. He kept the Wizards' forwards at bay till the very end, palming away a cracking hit from S Uthappa in the dying minutes of the game to keep it even-stevens. He was named Man of the Match.
Punjab Warriors took the lead in the sixth minute through Jake Whetton's field goal. Punjab's joy, however, was shortlived as the Wizards drew level six minutes later when David Alegre (12th minute) equalized for the visitors.The Warriors surged ahead once again when Satbir Singh (50th minute) scored in the third quarter but the Wizards managed to draw level four minutes later through S K Uthappa (54th).
The Times of India
Walsh, Oltmans best for Indian hockey: Sardar
Sambuddha Chakraborty
BHUBANESWAR: Their pairing is yet to bear fruits for the country but skipper Sardar Singh believes Terry Walsh and Roelant Oltmans is the best thing to have happened to Indian hockey in the recent past.
"Walsh is the best coach that I have played under. Oltmans as our high performance director is great. They are the best thing to have happened to us," says Sardar.
Skipper of the Delhi Waveriders in the Hockey India League, Sardar, credits the national coach with creating the hunger for success in the Indian side. "He has got the junior players in the side. He constantly motivates and makes them hungry for success. He is a very serious coach," he said.
The Times of India
Formula none in Indian Hockey
Biswajyoti Brahma
A decade ago former Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) president KPS Gill triggered a trend, which interestingly, is followed even today by the men in power, Hockey India.
Just before the 2004 Athens Olympics, Gill surprised everyone by appointing the little known German Gerhard Rach as coach of the Indian team. There was hope that India's first foreign coach would rescue the sinking fortunes of the game in the country. Rach had no magic wand to take India back to the top of the rankings and expectedly, after a few uneventful months, he was sacked.
A decade later, after experimenting with three more foreigners, including the refulgent Ric Charlesworth, who was the technical director of the team for a brief period, India remains exactly where they were a decade ago. There are two foreigners at the helm of the national team today — Terry Walsh as chief coach and Roelant Oltmans as the man in charge of the national team. Ever since Rach's sacking, India's ranking has plummeted from No. 5 to 10 before improving to eight after the Hockey World League in Delhi earlier this month.
Can Australian Walsh and Dutchman Oltmans, renowned the world over for their success in handling different teams, change India's fortunes? The answer is no. While their appointment may be a step in the right direction, there are several other details that Hockey India needs to take care of.
Former hockey star Jagbir Singh hit the nail on the head when he said there was no harm in using foreign expertise to improve the performance of the team, but at the same time we need to take a close look at the grassroots level.
"Remember, water always flows from the top. So if the national team does well it has a positive effect on all levels of the game. I'm in favour of using foreign expertise," Jagbir said. "But this is a temporary arrangement. We need to train our coaches who are working at the grassroots level. That's an area which needs restructuring."
What Spaniard Jose Brasa did during his one-and-half year stint with the hockey team was a grim pointer to the fact that a foreign coach, even one of exceptional calibre, alone cannot bring about a major change. For most part of his tenure, he was teaching players in the national camps how to hold the stick and hit the slap shot — the basics.
The rest of the time, he was busy learning Hindi to communicate effectively with the players, most of whom could not understand English. "( Coach) Harender Singh used to interpret Brasa's instructions and relayed it to the players in the camps. But during Michael Nobbs' tenure, the interpretation done by one of the support staff was poor. There was clearly a communication problem as the players at times struggled to pick up what Nobbs was saying," an official attached to the hockey team told Times Sportal. By the time Brasa picked up enough Hindi for effective communication with the team and made the players good enough in their basic skills he was shown the door.
Pakistan Olympian Tahir Zaman, now the coach of his national team, had recently said that India, quite like his own country, does not have a uni form coaching system, something which is affecting the game both the countries.
"If a coach changes every year, it affects a young player' style since no two coaches give similar training. But if you have a uniform system in place, where you also train your coaches, then things may be different," he said.
Terry Walsh Australia
The three-time Olympian was named chief coach in October last year. In his first tournament as India coach, the team finished sixth in the eight-nation Hockey World League
Roelant Oltmans The Netherlands
The legendary Dutch coach was appointed as high performance manager of the team in January last year after India finished last in the London Olympics
Ric Charlesworth Australia
Joined Indian hockey as a technical advisor in late 2007. Quit after seven acrimonious months
Jose Brasa Spain
He was handed the top job in May 2009. Brasa was shown the door after the 2010 Asian Games
Michael Nobbs Australia
Nobbs was appointed chief coach in June 2011 and was offered a five-year contract. He stepped down two years later, in July 2013.
Gerhard Rach Germany
Rach was the first foreign coach of the Indian hockey team. He took charge in 2004, just before the Athens Olympics; he was at the helm for a few months before tendering his resignation
The Times of India
Learning process has been slow, says Rasquinha
V Narayan Swamy
Indian hockey's enduring conundrum of the last 15 years has been its players, who despite increased exposure to foreign leagues, haven't learnt much in terms of skill or work ethic. How else does one explain the performance of the national team that has remained clueless against the top eight teams of the world despite an increasing number of professionals playing in tandem with leading internationals in the big leagues of the world?
Former captain Jude Felix attributes it to the 'lack of intelligence' among Indian players while another ace midfielder Viren Rasquinha points to the stubbornness in the Indian ranks to learn new skills. India's ills could be a blend of both. "An intelligent player is one who diligently works on his practice drills and repeats them in a match. In India, we fall back on our old ways once we are outwitted on the field," Felix said.
"That is the reason why we have just one world class player in Sardar Singh. Had we made use of the opportunities, we would have had many more Sardars."
A valid point, as drills have never been the strength of Indian coaches. They simply fine-tune the basics. It's hockey made simple.
Small wonder then that the work ethic of a foreign coach or the way top players train and prepare is either looked at in awe or dismissed as too laborious as Indian hockey survives on instinct. Take, for example, the way Spaniards tap and lift the ball on the move to unsettle the defence. It is a known fact that a few Indians who played in the Spanish league have mastered it. But how many have found a way to counter it?
"The learning has been slow," says Viren. "That is because we are stubborn. We need to be humble, admit that the game has changed and learn from the foreigners. The most important quality here is to be patient as results don't follow immediately. We have a tendency to give up easily if things don't work."
Viren refers to two instances when he worked foreign aces in the past. "I played with Australian ace Jamie Dwyer for Maratha Warriors in the PHL. It was a huge learning experience. His inputs during strategy sessions and the way he prepared for training was a lesson for us. In the WSH, my best learning experience was with the video analyst. It was an honour to be educated."
Viren said the Hockey India League was a golden opportunity for Indian players and coaches to lift their profile. "Ideally, HIL should be integrated into the system rather than being seen as a ritual that has to be gone through. The franchises have a responsibility towards the game. I would want at least three to four Indian coaches to be assistants to the foreign coach during the entire duration of the tournament. They in turn can spread the knowledge gained at the grassroots level," he said.
"Teams also ought to develop their own junior teams. At least 10 U-15 players will have to continuously interact and train with foreign players so that they learn the contemporary way of playing. Only then can India change the way its youngsters are playing the game."
One big difference between PHL, which pioneered the concept of hockey leagues in the country, and HIL is that the latter has encouraged foreign coaches from around the world to work in the league. "Coaches like Barry Dancer, Roelant Oltmans and Terry Walsh have a lot to share. Like them, each player will also have something new to tell us. Only that we need to be open to suggestions."
The Times of India
Daniel powers Notre Dame past Malvern
Nigel Simon
Harvard Checkers duo, Patricia Borneo-Wright-Alexis, left, and Kwylan Jagessarr, right, combine to deny Courts Malvern’s Krizia Layne, centre, a shot at goalkeeper Petal Derry during their T&T Hockey Board Women’s Championship Division match at the National Hockey Centre, Tacarigua on Saturday. Malvern won 1-0. Photo: Anthony Harris
T&T international Shaquille Daniel began the 2014 T&T Hockey Board Outdoor season in impressive fashion, scoring all five goals to lead Notre Dame to a 5-0 clobbering of Malvern in their Men’s Championship Division clash at the National Hockey Centre, Tacarigua on Saturday.
The powerfully-built Daniel, son of national rifle shooter and former T&T hockey player, Roger Daniel opened the scoring as early as the seventh minute from penalty-corner play before adding items in the 14th, 23rd, 37th and 51st.
Queen’s Park joined the Dames in winners row, courtesy a 1-0 triumph over Fatima thanks to a sixth minute penalty-corner goal from Jordan Reynos while in the Women’s Championship Division, national forward Krizia Layne’s second-half strike was enough for Courts Malvern to edge Harvard Checkers 1-0.
Recently retired T&T international Stacey Siu Butt was in her usual scoring form with two goals in Shandy Carib Magnolias 5-1 whipping of rival Ventures.
Daniella Granado handed Magnolias a 1-0 lead after only three minutes while Kim Fraser made it 2-0 at the half, with her 22nd minute field goal.
Any chance of a Ventures second-half rally was dashed when Siu Butt netted in the 41st before national forward Yesenia Luces pulled one back for Ventures.
However, that was as close Luces and her team-mates would get as Siu Butt got her second in the 57th minute for a 4-1 lead while teenager Lauryn Pounder rounded off the scoring in the 63rd.
Twenty-four hours earlier, Corey Bain fired in a beaver-trick and former national standout Anthony Marcano, a treble as Malvern flicked off its Mixed Veteran title defence with a resounding 12-0 thrashing of Shape.
Bain netted in the tenth, 34th, 67th and 69th minutes while Marcano found the back of the net in the 29th, 46th and 53rd minute for Malvern who led 4-0 at the half-time interval.
Former national women’s team captain, Sherlan Cabralis added a second-half brace for Malvern while the trio of Shawn Alexander, Rigel Gomes and Peter Edwards chipped in with one each.
In Friday’ league curtain-raiser, another reigning champion, Queen’s Park hammered Fatima in its Trinity Division opener led by a Mark Ayen brace.
Ayen scored both his goals in the second-half, in the 43rd and 63rd minutes while Jordi OzBrien (13th), Raphael Govia (15th), Damian Bright (54th) and Kadeem Fortune (65h) got one apiece.
T&T Hockey Board results
Friday:
Trinity Men:
Queen’s Park 6 (Mark Ayen 43rd, 63rd, Jordi O’Brien 13th, Raphael Govia 15th, Damian Bright 54th, Kadeem Fortune 65thth) vs Fatima 0
Mixed Veterans:
Malvern 12 (Corey Bain 10th, 34th, 67th, 69th, Anthony Marcano 29th, 46th, 53rd, Sherlan Cabralis 58th, 59th, Shawn Alexander 15th, Rigel Gomes 39th, Peter Edwards 56th) vs Shape 0
Saturday:
Under-19 Boys: Notre Dame 3 vs Raiders 0 – By Default
Under-19 Girls: Notre Dame 3 vs Raiders 0 – By Default
Trinity Women:
Magnolias 5 (Stacey Siu Butt 41st, 57th, Daniella Granado 3rd, Kim Fraser 22nd, Lauryn Pounder 63rd) vs Ventures 1 (Yesenia Luces 47th)
Women’s Championship:
Malvern 1 (Krizia Layne) vs Harvard Checkers 0
Men’s Championship:
Queen’s Park 1 (Jordan Reynos 6th) vs Fatima 0
Notre Dame 5 (Shaquille Daniel 7th, 14th, 23rd, 37th, 51st) vs Malvern 0
The Trinidad Guardian
Malaysian Coach targets top 10 at World Cup
By Jugjet Singh
WITH 35 trainees under his wings, national chief coach K. Dharmaraj aims to find the best combination before the World Cup, and the Asian Games.
The World Cup will be held at the Hague on May 31-June 15, and the target is to finish among the top 10. While the end target of this year is the Asian Games on Sept 19-Oct 4 in South Korea which offers a ticket to the Olympics.
"We have a big pool of trainees so I will try out some for the Azlan Shah Cup (March 13-23) and also the Champions Challenge 1 (Kuantan, April 26-May 4).
"Some players will not be able to play in all the major tournaments this year, and I might have to rest them for certain tournaments and use them sparingly.
"But players like Faizal Saari, who has proven himself by not being burned out after playing in a string of consecutive tournaments will feature in all," said Dharmaraj.
And S. Selvaraju, who has played in seven different hockey leagues throughout the world, is back with the national team after four years and might get a chance to prove himself in the Azlan Shah Cup.
Selvaraju, 29, who last represented Malaysia in the World Cup qualifiers in Invercargill, New Zealand in 2009, is raring to give his best.
He wants to play in the World Cup, Glasgow Commonwealth Games (July 13-23) and the Asian Games.
"I'm happy to be given a second chance, so I will train hard to cement my spot in the team. Even though I last played for Malaysia in 2009, I have a lot of experience playing in seven different hockey leagues in the world," said Selvaraju, who has 90 international caps.
He has played for Monchengladbach Club in the German League in 2007, Berlin Club in the German League 2009, Midland Club in New Zealand in 2010, Racing de Dulie in the French League in 2011, then in 2013, he played in three different leagues - with Khalsa Club in Hong Kong; Armed Forces Club in Thailand and Armicora Club in the Italian League.
New Straits Times
Field Hockey Canada mourns the passing of Zoe MacKinnon
1984 Olympian passed away at age 55
Zoe MacKinnon
Peacefully, with her loving family by her side, following a courageous battle with cancer, Zoe MacKinnon passed away on January 29 at the Guelph General Hospital in her 55th year. Zoe was a respected International goalkeeper who backstopped Canada’s Women’s National team in the 1980s. Most notably on the pitch, Zoe was an Olympian as a member of the historic 1984 Canadian team that finished 5th at the Games in Los Angeles.
The Board of Directors and Staff of Field Hockey Canada offer their sincere condolences to Zoe’s family, friends and teammates.
Friends will be received at the Gilbert MacIntyre and Son Funeral Home, Hart Chapel, 1099 Gordon Street, Guelph, on Saturday, February 1st, 2014 from 4:00 p.m. A celebration of Zoe’s life will be held in the funeral home chapel at 5pm. with a reception to follow. As expressions of sympathy, and in lieu of flowers, donations to the Right To Play Canada would be greatly appreciated by the family. Cards are available at the funeral home at (519) 821-5077. Online condolences can be made at www.gilbertmacintyreandson.com.
Field Hockey Canada media release