News for 21 December 2014
All the news for Sunday 21 December 2014
FIH needs to revise Champions Trophy format
Anwar Zuberi
Pakistan's hockey team poses with their silver medals following the Hero Hockey Champions Trophy 2014 final match against Germany at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar on December 14, 2014. — AFP/File
Contrary to the fact that the format of the recently-held Champions Trophy benefitted the two finalists more than other competing teams, it needs to be reviewed by the games controlling body, the International Hockey Federation (FIH) as it made the event a laughing stock.
Pakistan was the only team among eight nations that could not win any of their three matches and finished at bottom in pool ‘A’ of the first phase.
New look Germany, who are also the Olympic champions, too, finished at the bottom in the pool ‘B’ but with a solitary win under their belt.
However the quarter-finals that followed the league saw reversal when Pakistan shocked the top team of the other pool, World Cup silver medallists the Netherlands 4-2. In identical fashion, Germany scored a solitary goal win over top team of pool ‘A’, England. The rest is history now.
Since its inception at Lahore in 1978, the Champions Trophy was considered as the toughest event of the FIH. With a couple of exceptions, the event used to be contested by top six teams of the world on a single league basis.
Five teams contested in the inaugural event at Lahore in 1978 followed by seven in the next at Karachi in 1980.
First time eight teams were allowed to feature at Amsterdam in 1987 but they played on single league.
Again the 2007, 2011, 2012 and the recent 2014 events saw eight teams competing for honours.
Former Olympian Samiullah has called upon the FIH to do away with the existing Champions Trophy format and revert to the old of six teams vying on single league.
“It’s ridiculous. Belgium and Australia bit the dust in the end as poor finishers of their groups Pakistan and Germany fought for the honours,” the flying horse told Dawn.
“I’m writing a letter to the games controlling body of the world to review the format and either revert to old or expand the teams from eight to 10 or 12 with two pools and top two teams from each playing semi-finals on criss cross basis.”
“When introduced, Campions Trophy was considered as the toughest event of the world and the only competition of FIH calendar to be played on single league,” he added.
Dawn
Dwyer hopes Punjab Warriors will be third time lucky in HIL
Australian player Jamie Dwyer. File Photo
Australian great Jamie Dwyer is confident that his team Jaypee Punjab Warriors will go one better in the upcoming Hockey India League (HIL) and win the trophy.
Besides Dwyer, Punjab boast of Jake Whetton at the forward line-up, Lucas Rey in the mid-field, Sandeep Singh, Christopher Ciriello, Mark Knowles in the defence line besides Jaap Stockman and Bharat Chetri under the bar.
Dwyer said, “I am looking forward to the upcoming season. I am sure it’s going to be yet another good experience and we hope to finish it by lifting the trophy which we missed by a whisker in the last edition. Personally, I feel we must adapt a style that suits the Indian culture without losing our personal style of play as we get to play with the mixed bag of players from different teams,” said Dwyer.
“I am looking forward to playing this edition as I can see a good bunch of players in our team that add the required strength to our squad. In the last one year I have seen Indian players playing very good Hockey and it will be interesting to see them again.”
The third season begins January 22 with the first match scheduled to be played between Kalinga Lancers and Ranchi Rays at the Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar.
The Hindu
Jamie Dwyer Gearing up for Hockey India League 2015
Australian forward Jamie Dwyer had played 14 matches in the inaugural edition of the Hockey India League with a credit of scoring four goals.
Dwyer scored 4 goals in 14 matches in the previous edition. © NDTV
Looking at continuing the success of the second season of the Hockey India League, Australia's legend Jamie Dwyer promised to come out with all guns blazing in the third edition of the league starting January 22, next year. Playing consecutively for Jaypee Punjab Warriors in both the seasons of the HIL, the Australia forward, Dwyer, is again leading the team in the upcoming edition and convinced to dish out a commendable performance yet again.
Heading towards the third edition of the Hockey India League, it will be an uphill task for the Jaypee Punjab Warriors but with Marquee player Dwyer leading from the front and getting the support of other team members - Jake Whetton at the forward line-up who will add the much required strength alongwith Lucas Rey in the mid-field position, Sandeep Singh, Christopher Ciriello, Mark Knowles in the defence line and Jaap Stockman and Bharat Chetri under the bar allows the team to boast of a strong line-up which any opponent should be weary of while facing them on the field.
Dwyer had played 14 matches in the inaugural edition with a credit of scoring four goals for the team and finished fourth in inaugural edition of the League. Although the team did not have much success in the first edition they performed exceptionally well in the second season and finished as the runner up and turned things around in their favour. Following the success of the previous edition,
Dwyer makes the Jaypee Punjab Warriors one of the most promising team of this edition.
In the previous edition, the team posted an exciting game of hockey but unfortunately lost to Delhi Waveriders in the shoot-out which allowed the opponents to lift the HHIL 2014 crown. Taking away the Maximum Goals award, Jamie Dwyer will yet again look at accomplishing a similar feat for his team this year, alongwith an addition of picking up the Title of the Hero Hockey India League.
Excited about the upcoming league, playing for Jaypee Punjab Warriors, Jamie Dwyer said, "I am looking forward to the upcoming season of the Hero Hockey India League 2015. I am sure it's going to be yet another good experience and we hope to finish it by lifting the Trophy which we missed by a whisker in the last edition. Personally, I feel we must adapt a style that suits the Indian culture without losing our personal style of play as we get to play with the mixed bag of players from different teams. I am looking forward to playing this edition as I can see a good bunch of players in our team that add the required strength to our squad. In the last one year I have seen Indian players playing very good Hockey and it will be interesting to see them again".
The third season of the Hero Hockey India League will commence on 22nd January 2015, with the first match scheduled to be played between Kalinga Lancers and Ranchi Rays, at the Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar. The League will be telecasted LIVE on Star Sports, the official broadcasters for Hero Hockey India League.
NDTV Sports
A 5-year-old helping hockey find its feet in Finland
Jaspreet Sahni,
Among the 5.5 million in Finland is the 5-year-old Arjunjit Singh, who has been inspiring the Finns in Vantaa to play field hockey in a country known for its ice hockey.
Helsinki, football and ice hockey is what comes to mind at the first mention of Finland. With a population of around 5.5 million, the North European country lives happily in peace and hardly makes the news for any wrong reason. And among those 5.5 million is the 5-year-old Arjunjit Singh, who has been inspiring the Finns in Vantaa to play field hockey in a country known for its ice hockey.
Born to a former hockey player Vicky, Arjun was introduced to hockey in Finland itself as his parents decided to settle in Europe in 2004. Arjun was born five years later in 2009 after Vicky got his finances in order by establishing himself as a restaurant owner.
"Hockey is in my blood," says Vicky. "And I wish my son too follows the game, at least I can try. Rest is up to him and the almighty," said Vicky, who has his roots in Moga, Punjab.
Vicky has been the flagbearer for introduction of field hockey in Finland as the man from Punjab has been successful in convincing the country's government to put a hockey board in place, of which he is a member.
Wanting Arjun to learn hockey from a young age, Vicky introduced his son to the Helsinki Warriors Club early and as the young man approaches his sixth birthday in January, he wants to be on the hockey field all the time.
"With football all around him in Vantaa, Arjun became a fan of the beautiful game and was glued to TV every time a football match was on. Messi is his favourite player, but I always wanted him to follow hockey.
"Once I introduced Arjun to the astro turf for the first time, it didn't take time for him to like football but love hockey. Rest, as they say, is history and he is now a regular member of the Warriors club. Last but not the least, he is the first Punjabi to play hockey in Finland," said the proud father.
Giving an example of Arjun's enthusiasm for hockey, Vicky describes an incident from a match.
"Once, playing for the Warriors club, Arjun got a cut on the forehead. I picked him up with blood all over my shirt and took him to the hospital. He got stitched up and as I was driving him home, he asked me 'When is our next match?' I said, 'In an hour from now.' And he replied, 'Turn the car. I want to play'. When we reached the playing field, Arjun was welcomed back with a standing applause," Vicky described with his eyes welling up.
"I don't know whether he will continue to play hockey or switch to football or do something else in life, but when I see him play hockey and inspiring others to take to the game, it gives me a lot of satisfaction," Vicky said of Arjun, whose favourite player in the Indian team is Dharamvir Singh.
IBNLive