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News for 14 December 2016

All the news for Wednesday 14 December 2016


England complete line-up for men’s Hockey Junior World Cup 2016 Quarter-Finals



England became the eighth and final team to qualify for the Quarter-Final stages of the Uttar Pradesh Hockey Junior World Cup Men Lucknow 2016 thanks to a convincing victory over Canada.

The 6-0 score-line, in which Edward Horler scored a hat-trick, confirmed a second-place finish in Pool D which sets up a last eight meeting against reigning champions Germany, the winners of Pool C.

As well as the Germany versus England fixture, Pool A winners Australia face a huge clash with Pool B runners up the Netherlands, while Pool D winners India and Pool C’s second placed Spain will also go head to head. Belgium and Argentina, whose senior teams competed in the Olympic final at Rio 2016, is another fascinating Quarter-Final match-up. 

Following the completion of the Pool phase, the match order and timings for the Quarter-Finals, which take place on Thursday 15th December, have been revealed. All times local (Indian Standard Time GMT/UTC +5.30).

11:15    Belgium v Argentina
13:30    Germany v England
15:45    Australia v Netherlands
18:00    India v Spain

The Pool D meeting between England and Canada was the first match of Day 6, with the European side producing a dominant performance to confirm a Quarter-Final berth. Will Calnan and Ed Horler both scored twice in the first half to take the score to 4-0, with Horler completing his hat-trick with his third penalty corner effort of the day in the 46th minute. A superb backhand volley from Chris Proctor in 54th minute finished the match scoring. “It was all about going out there and doing a job, as a lot of people were talking about the Quarter-Finals but we knew Canada would be a tough side and we had to get the job done,” said England captain James Gall after the match. Regarding the Quarter-Final meeting with Germany, Gall said: “You know what you get with them, we have played them a lot. They are a good side, but we will debrief this performance, plan for the next match and have a really good go at them.”

The pool phase was ended by Australia, who made it three wins from three matches in Luckow with a 5-0 triumph over Pool A opponents Korea. The Asians managed to keep the Burras off the score-sheet for 25 minutes before Frazer Gerrard slammed home a penalty corner, with Blake Govers netting a quick-fire double just before half time to take the score to 3-0. Max Hendry and Kirin Arunasalam were also on target for an Australia team determined to land their first Junior Hockey World Cup title since 1997.  

Wednesday (14th December) will feature matches involving the teams that will compete in the 9-16 classification positions. In the 13-16 play-off matches, Egypt take on Japan at 11:15 (IST) before the 9-12 meeting between Austria and South Africa gets underway at 13:30. Malaysia play New Zealand at 15:45 in the 9-12 section, while 13-16 rivals Korea and Canada meet at 1800. 

FIH site



Burras to meet the Netherlands in QF

Crush Korea 5 - 0

Holly MacNeil



The Burras will head to the quarter finals of the Junior World Cup after crushing Korea 5 – 0 in their final pool match of the tournament.

The Australians controlled the match from the beginning with three goals locked away in the first quarter. Frazer Gerrard was first up with a field goal getting the Burras on track for the win.

Blake Govers was next scoring a cheeky double as the Burras continued to press Korea, with a penalty corner in the 33rd minute backed up by a field goal in the 34th minute.

Coming back from the half time break and the Burras continued to dominate, keeping possession of the ball for the majority of the half. The victory was well and truly sealed when Max Hendry flicked a goal in at the 61st minute, only to be backed up by Kiran Arunasalam in the 68th minute with a final field goal for Australia.

The Burras have now won all their pool games and will go on to the quarter finals where they will come up against the Netherlands who finished second in their pool.

Burras head coach Ben Bishop commented on the match: “Another pleasing performance by the group under warmer conditions than we have had here previously.

“Defensively, we were really solid which was the platform for our attacking game. The group is in a good space moving into the quarter finals, a challenge we are very much looking forward to.”

The Burras next play the Netherlands in the quarter final on Thursday at 6.15 AWST / 9.15 AEDT, with the game to be live streamed via the FIH YouTube Channel.

BURRAS 5 (3)
Frazer Gerrard 25 (PC)
Blake Govers 33, 34 (PC, FG)
Max Hendry 61 (FG)
Kiran Arunasalam 68 (FG)

KOREA 0 (0)

Burras Fixtures
December 15: Quarter final v Netherlands at 6.15 AWST / 9.15 AEDT

Burras Squad v Korea
Name (Home town / suburb)
Kiran Arunasalam, (Doncaster East, VIC)
Joshua Beltz, (Old Beach, TAS)
Stephen Gale, (Bulleen, VIC)
Frazer Gerrard, (Cottesloe, WA)
Blake Govers, (Wollongong, NSW)
Tim Howard, (Wakerley, QLD
Sam Liles, (Tamworth, NSW)
Kurt Lovett, (Parkes, NSW)
Lachlan Sharp, (Lithgow, NSW)
Ashleigh Thomas, (Baulkam Hills, NSW)
Jack Welch, (Hobart, TAS)

Used Substitutes
Matthew Bird, (Coolbellup, WA)
Tom Craig, (Lane Cove, NSW)
Matthew Finn, (Paddington, QLD)
Max Hendry, (Camberwell, VIC)
Ryan Proctor, (Engadine, NSW)
Joshua Simmonds, (Ringwood North, VIC)
Corey Weyer, (Biggera Waters, QLD)

Hockey Australia media release



Australia tops Pool-A

Uthra Ganesan


PILING IT ON: By the time Max Hendry (second from right) scored Australia’s fourth goal, Korea was pretty much out of the game. 

England and Australia completed the formalities of qualifying for the quarterfinals of the men’s Junior World Cup hockey tournament here, with convincing victories in their respective league matches here on Tuesday.

Australia continued its unbeaten run in the tournament to finish on top of Pool-A with nine points after a 5-0 whipping of Korea.

In Pool-D, England finished second behind India after defeating Canada 6-0 for its second victory, courtesy a hat-trick from Edward Horler.

Originally meant to be a rest day for all teams, Tuesday saw the two sides complete their league engagements after dense fog throughout the week had forced the organisers to rework the schedule.

It was 0-0 till the 25th minute — the longest Korea has gone without being scored against in the competition so far — when Frazer Gerrard converted a penalty corner to put Australia 1-0 up.

Olympian Blake Govers then added two in two minutes to end Korean hopes by half-time.

Australia will play Pool-B runner-up the Netherlands.

England will now face two-time defending champion and title favourite Germany in the knock-outs while pool-topper India will be up against an impressive Spain, which finished second in Pool-C.

The results: Pool D: England 6 (Edward Horler-3, Will Calnan-2, Christopher Proctor) bt Canada 0; Pool A: Australia 5 (Blake Govers-2, Frazer Gerrard, Max Hendry, Kiran Arunasalam) bt Korea 0.

The schedule: Egypt vs Japan (11.15 a.m.), Austria vs South Africa (1.30 p.m.), Malaysia vs New Zealand (3.45 p.m.), Korea vs Canada (6 p.m.).

The Hindu



England through to quarter finals after Canada win


Ed Horler continued his fine scoring run at the HJWC2016

England Head Coach Jon Bleby praised his side’s “professional performance” as England’s U21s swept to a 6-0 win in their final pool match of the Junior World Cup against Canada. The win secures second spot and sets up a quarter final clash with Germany on Thursday morning.

“We did exactly what we needed to do to get through to the quarter final.” said Bleby.  “It was nice both to get some goals in attack and defensively to be really disciplined and keep a clean sheet.”

The goals certainly flowed with England 4-0 up at the break before adding two more in the second half. Will Calnan opened the scoring with a penalty corner in the tenth minute before Ed Horler added two low penalty corners in the 15th and 20th minutes to put his side in complete control. Calnan added his second from open play before the break. Horler slotted in another penalty corner on 46 minutes to complete his hat-trick and move onto six goals for the tournament, making him the competition’s top scorer. Chris Proctor added a sixth in the 54th minute to complete the scoring. 

Despite his delight at the win, Bleby was keen to stress there is still work to be done for his young guns: “We are satisfied with job done today but there are definitely some key areas we can still be much better at looking ahead to the next game.”

That next game pits England against Germany and takes place at 8am UK Time on Thursday 15 December live on the FIH YouTube Channel.

Bleby looked ahead to that game, telling England Hockey: “We are really looking forward to playing Germany. They are a tough side and it will likely be a tactical battle but I absolutely feel if we can play to our potential we have a great chance of progressing to the semi finals.”

England 6 (4)
Will Calnan 10, 23 (PC, FG)
Ed Horler 15, 20, 46 (PC, PC, PC)
Chris Proctor 54 (FG)

Canada 0 (0)

England Hockey Board Media release



England tops Canada in final pool stage match at Junior World Cup

Shaheed Devji


Canada’s Kabir Aula works to protect the ball from England players at the 2016 World Cup in India (By Yan Huckendubler)

Canada faced England Tuesday in Lucknow, India in both teams’ final pool stage match at the 2016 Junior World Cup.

After a strong performance against India on opening night and a back and a game against South Africa that saw them drop the decision after opening the scoring, the Canadians had two days without playing before their last pool match against England.

And there was a lot on the line.

For Canada – albeit slim – there was still a chance to move forward to the quarterfinal round. But a win by a large margin was needed for the Canadians to leapfrog at least two teams to end up in the top two.

For England, after India beat South Africa on Monday, a win or tie would guarantee a top-two finish in Pool D and a spot in the quarterfinals.

Beating England was a tall order for the Canadian Under-21 men, the youngest team at the tournament, and in the end was too much.

On the shoulders of a three goal performance of Edward Horler, and two more from Will Calnan, England captured the victory 6-0, moving onto the quarterfinals. While Canada will now play for 13th-16th place in the classification round, which gets going Wednesday in India (Tuesday night in Canada).

Both teams started the match cautiously, but England progressively took control of play and pushed Canada in defense. England scored on their first three penalty corners, the first of which came in the 10th minute from Calnan. Horler’s first came in the 15th minute, and he added his second in the 20th minute.. By the 23rd minute, Calnan scored again and England had a 4-0 lead, which made what was already tough, even tougher for Canada, which had only scored one goal to that point in the tournament.

England added two more goals in the second half.

Angus Grauer started in his first international match for Canada, while Iqwinder Gill came on in relief in the second half.

Canada will await the result of the final pool match of the tournament between Australia and Korea before the matches for the next round are confirmed.

Canada will face Korea (which finished in 4th in Pool A) in a crossover match in the classification round. The match will be played at 6:00pm local time on Wednesday, December 14 in India (4:30am Pacific /7:30am Eastern in Canada).

Field Hockey Canada media release



England, Australia seal last two quarterfinal spots

Australia will now play Netherlands in the quarterfinals while England will face title holders Germany in the last-eight round.


Australia beat Korea by a 5-0 margin in the final group game. (Source: PTI)

England spanked Canada 6-0 while Australia routed Korea 5-0 in the last inconsequential pool matches to seal their places in the quarterfinals of the men’s Junior Hockey World Cup on Tuesday.

By virtue of this win, Australia topped Pool A with maximum nine points from three matches, while England finished second in Pool D behind hosts India with six points from as many games.

Australia will now play Netherlands in the quarterfinals on Thursday while England will face six-time defending champions and title holders Germany in the last-eight round.

In Tuesday’s match against Canada, Edward Horler (15th, 20th, 46th) scored a hat-trick for Australia while Will Calnan (10th, 23rd minutes) and Christopher Proctor (54th) were the other goal scorers.

Later in the day, Blake Govers (33rd, 34th) scored twice for Australia within minutes after Frazer Gerrard (25th) gave Burras the lead in the 25th minute. Max Hendry (61st) and Kiran Arunasalam (68th) rounded off the tally for Australia.

Canada and Korea will now face each other in the 13th to 16th place classification match on Wednesday.

Indian Express



England enter quarters

Asheem Mukerji

LUCKNOW: England were the final side to qualify for the quarterfinals of the Junior Men Hockey World Cup when they thrashed Canada 6-0 at the Major Dhyan Chand stadium on Tuesday. Hosts India has already made it to last eight from Pool D with an all-win record.

The other match of the day between Australia and South Korea also turned out to be a one-sided affair as the Kangaroos romped past the Asian side 5-0. Australia, who had already topped the Pool A, kept their slate clean with their third win on trot. Argentina is the second side from the pool to enter the knockouts, pushing out Austria on goal-difference on Monday. The other teams making up the quarterfinal draw are Belgium and Netherlands from Pool A and holders Germany and Spain from Pool C.

England, who were forced to play on the official rest day as the league matches had to be rescheduled due to dense fog, started off in style. They struck the first three goals off penalty corners with Will Calnan opening the account in the tenth minute.

Then, Edward Horler struck the next two set-pieces before Will Calnan increased the lead to 4-0 with a field goal.

The comfortable cushion of goals allowed the English coach Jon Bleby to test his bench in the second-half before the knock-outs, which begin from Thursday. Horler slotted home his third (and team's fifth) with another deft drag-flick, while Christopher Proctor rounded off the tally.

Battle of have-nots

It will be a day of have-nots on Wednesday with teams not qualifying for the knockouts playing for minor placings. Austria and New Zealand can count themselves unfortune, having been knocked out on inferior goal averages.

The Austrian side, coached by former India coach Cedric D'Souza, provided another dimension in the rise of European nations. They played clean tactical hockey, surprising many with their skills and opportunism.

The Times of India



Fast and flexible

Indian colts have surprised their opponents with their speed and ability to switch positions

Indervir Grewal


The Indian juniors were exposed to modern hockey from their early days and that seems to be making all the difference. File photo

Lucknow: After India’s dismantling of England, their toughest rival in the pool, manager Roelant Oltmans, usually very reserved with his emotions, looked noticeably happy. He was “impressed” with the team’s performance, and had added, “I am enjoying it here, I love to watch these boys play,” while patting captain Harjeet Singh on the back.

The way this team is playing would make any manager happy; but Oltmans, the coach of the senior team, will be particularly delighted; though he has avoided any question about the future, specifically the 2020 Olympics.

Even though Oltmans is officially the manager, there is no doubt that he is one of the brains behind this team — the Dutchman has been working with this group for the last three years; and the tactics he has employed in the matches here, he has not shown with the senior team.

The most obvious difference is the continuous shifting of positions. Rotation of players and overlapping runs are common with the top teams, and are used to break down the opposition’s defence. To give a common example from the current tournament, there were many occasions when a defender, be it Harmanpreet Singh or Varun Kumar, climbed up to the position of a right winger and the whole team shifted behind him.

Oltmans might be using these tactics just to confuse the other teams before the knockout matches, but the fact that he can, augurs well for the future.

The senior team shows this flexibility on rare occasions. It’s no secret that all-rounders have been missing from the previous teams. Even in the current senior team, only Manpreet Singh can be utilised in different positions. It forces the team to play in a more rigid structure.

However, during the junior team’s three matches here, the roles of the players have been very fluid. The juniors have looked comfortable playing this system, which showcases that they have the tactical knowhow and the all-round skills to pull it off.

The reason for this difference between the junior and senior teams is that these juniors have been brought up playing the modern game from an earlier age. India adopted the modern system around five years ago and the pool for the senior team was widened by adding junior players. While the senior players were already set in their ways, the juniors could be moulded. And when Oltmans came in, hired as high performance director, he started overseeing the junior team’s training programme. Unlike their predecessors, these players have been made to work on their defensive and attacking skills, irrespective of the position.

The revival of Punjab, which adopted the modern training system over 10 years ago, has played a big role in this team’s success. The ten players from the state have been playing together for many years.

India’s speed

The long years together have showed on the ground in the form of great understanding, which is reason for the incredible pace at which this team plays.

That’s the other major feature that sets this team apart from the seniors. In today’s hockey, which has become very compact, defences are broken by moving the ball at a fast pace to find the other team out of position. Now, stopping has been replaced by receiving on the move followed by quick release of the ball, and a player holding on to the ball is considered criminal.

This team is among the quickest when it comes to rotation of the ball; and when the boys get into their rhythm, they bamboozle the opponents with their small one-two passes. These skills were also imbibed into these players at a younger age, which has made all the difference.

The Tribune



On rest day, India stay focused on Hockey Junior World Cup quarterfinal

Sharad Deep


India, led by Harjeet Singh, are one of the favourites to win the Hockey Junior World Cup ahead of six-time champions Germany. (HT)

India got an off day at the Junior Men’s Hockey World Cup on Tuesday, and the former champions bonded over food. Ahead of the quarterfinal against Spain on Thursday, the players watched the footage from their and the rivals’ matches.

“It was ‘chutti’ for everyone, but the boys chose to focus on Thursday’s match. We didn’t stop them from watching the footage of the rivals and discussing on-field plans,” a team official told HT.

India are one of the favourites to win the cup ahead of six-time champions Germany, who are looking for a hat-trick of titles. India finished fifth in their maiden appearance in 1979, lifted the cup in 2001 and finished 10th at the last edition in New Delhi in 2013.

“There is no chance of a comeback in the knockout stage. We need to excel and win,” said coach Harendra Singh, who regrets India missing bronze at Rotterdam in The Netherlands in 2005.

Captain Harjeet Singh said he couldn’t stop thinking about the quarterfinal even on the rest day. “We started thinking about the quarterfinal soon after our match against South Africa on Monday night,” he said.

DISCIPLINED

Oceania Junior Cup runners-up New Zealand are out of contention for a quarterfinal berth, finishing third in Group C behind table toppers Germany and Spain, but their discipline is the talk of the town.

The Black Caps, who finished fourth in 2009, drink plenty of water and avoid heavy meals.

They have milk, bread and butter for breakfast, but skip lunch. “They are very strict about food,” said an official assisting the team. “Though the players visited a few places in the state capital the past week, they chose not to eat anything outside,” he said.

Hindustan Times



Rusty India look to play 'simple hockey' in quarters

LUCKNOW: Having received a much-needed wake-up call in their final pool match, favourites India would look to iron out chinks in the armour and play "simple hockey" when they face Spain in the quarterfinals of the men's Junior Hockey World Cup here on Thursday.

Even though India maintained an all-win record in the pool stage, it was their performance in their last pool game against South Africa which has raised some eyebrows.

The Indians were clinical in their first two wins over Canada (4-0) and England (5-3) but against South Africa they had to slog hard to register a fighting 2-1 victory.

But it should come as a big lesson for the Indian colts ahead of the knockout stages as any slip from here on will dash their hopes of reclaiming the title after a hiatus of 15 years.

"I was surprised with our performance because we didn't play to our potential after the first 15 minutes (against South Africa). I always say that I don't think about opponents, I am always concerned about our own methods," India's head coach Harendra Singh had said after the South Africa game.

"We play simple one-touch hockey and that is what we should play. We just didn't play simple hockey (against South Africa) but the good thing is that it has happened before the knockout stages," he said.

Going by present form, India start as overwhelming favourites against Spain. The Indians have defeated the Spaniards twice in the recent past in a four-nation tournament in Valencia.

The Valencia outing, where India went on to win the title by beating six-time champions and current world junior champions Germany, should give the home team confidence going into Thursday's all-important encounter at the Major Dhyan Chand Astroturf stadium here.

Although India are expected to win the game hands down, Harendra warned his players against complacency. "In a World Cup we can't afford to take any team lightly. We have defeated Spain twice in Valencia but here it is altogether different. Every participating team wants to win the World Cup," Harendra said.

In their last two pool games, India let their momentum slip in phases. Against England they were sloppy in the last 10 minutes and conceded two goals, while against South Africa the Indians faded away after the initial 15 minutes burst.

Excited and pumped up in front of home crowd, the Indians tried too many things and this is something which Harendra would like his wards to avoid.

India's senior team's chief coach Roelant Oltmans, who is here as the manager of the junior side, has called on the colts to use their brains a bit more and stick to their game plan instead of trying too many things.

"The most important thing is to stick to our game plan. If we would have used a little bit more brain, we could have scored more goals (against South Africa) and that is what we have to learn. If you can close the game we should close it. We shouldn't give our rivals opportunity to come back into the game," Oltmans said.

The Indians created plenty of scoring chances but the striking force lacked the finishing touch before Mandeep Singh came to his side's rescue with a brilliant match-winner against South Africa.

Skipper Harjeet Singh has been phenomenal in the tournament so far having led the side from the front. Against South Africa he not only scored a goal but also created numerous chances for his team-mates.

Even though the Indians created chances, penetrated the opposition circle and earned penalty corners in numbers, the final execution was lacking and the hosts would need to work on these aspects and raise their game to avoid giving Spain any chance to create an upset.

Meanwhile in the other quarterfinals of the day, Belgium will play Argentina, defending champions Germany will face England and Australia will take on the Netherlands.

The Times of India



Malaysia to face NZ in ninth to 13th placing matches

by S. Ramaguru

Malaysia recorded two losses and one win in their group to finish behind table-toppers Belgium and Holland. They lost 0-3 to Belgium and 2-7 to Holland. Malaysia’s only win was a 2-0 success over Egypt.

Coach Wallace Tan’s team will play New Zealand in the crossover playoffs today. South Korea and Canada are the other teams involved in the ninth-13th playoffs.

Team manager Mohamed Amin Rahim said they have been improving with each match.

“The players did well in the three matches and we are pleased that we did not finish bottom of the group. It must be remembered that we did not qualify for the Finals in the first place. We now stand a good chance to finish ninth and that’s our target now,” he said.

But Amin warned that they cannot afford to take the other playoff teams for granted.

“We will play New Zealand first. It will be a tough match. We have played the Kiwis three times this year and winning all of them.

“But that’s not a good guide of their strengths. Like us, they have also added some senior players in the side. The Kiwis are better than the teams we played in the friendlies. But if our players can focus on their game and take their chances then we can match them.

“But there are a number of areas we need to improve on and also make sure the mistakes are kept to a bare minimum.

“Our penalty corner execution is also in a mess at the moment and we plan to work on it. We have only two flickers (Mohamed Najmi Nazlan and Mohamed Firdaus Omar) available as the third flicker Syed Mohd Syafiq Syed Cholan is injured.

“We hope to be better prepared. The other thing is that we need to stay focus throughout the game and not just the final stages,” added Amin.

The Star of Malaysia



Stats Speak: Know the quarterfinalists in Lucknow

By B.G.Joshi (Sehore-Bhopal, India)

Mighty Germany and Australia are always there in first eight in Junior World Cup. Netherlands (9th-1979) and Argentina (11th-2013) have missed once the rank in first 8. Out of the 8 quarterfinalists only England and Belgium have not won medals in Junior World Cup. Here are the statistical highlights of the 8 teams:

Quarterfinals- 1:  Belgium versus Argentina

Belgium: Appearances-6,  Best Finish-6th (2013),Matches Played-39; Won-18; Drawn-4;Lost-17; Goals For-93; Goals Against-100, Captain-Victor Wegnez, Coach-Jeroen Baart.

Argentina: Appearances-10, Best Finish-Gold (2005), Matches Played-68; Won-35; Drawn-10; Lost-23; Goals For-154; Goals Against-134, Captain-Maico Casella, Coach-Mariano Ronconi.

Quarterfinals- 2:  Germany versus England

Germany: Appearances-11, Best Finish- 6 Gold (1983, 85, 89, 93, 2009, 13), Matches Played-77; Won-61; Drawn-7; Lost-9; Goals For-301; Goals Against-117, Captain-Constantin Staib, Coach-Valentin Altenburg.

England: Appearances-9, Best Finish-4th (1997,2001), Matches Played-61; Won-23; Drawn-10; Lost-28; Goals For-143; Goals Against-121, Captain-James Gall, Coach-Jon Bleby.

Quarterfinals- 3:  Australia versus Netherlands

Australia: Appearances-10, Best Finish-Gold (1997), Matches Played-70; Won-45; Drawn-13; Lost-12; Goals For-230; Goals Against-99, Captain-Sam Liles, Coach-Ben Bishop.

Netherlands: Appearances-11, Best Finish-2 Silver (1985,2009), Matches Played-76; Won-46; Drawn-7; Lost-23; Goals For-256; Goals Against-145, Captain-Lars Balk, Coach-Eric Verboom.

Quarterfinals- 4:  India versus Spain

India: Appearances-9, Best Finish-Gold (2001), Matches Played-61; Won-41; Drawn-7; Lost-13; Goals For-221; Goals Against-94, Captain-Harjeet Singh Coach-Harendra Singh.

Spain: Appearances-10, Best Finish-Bronze(2005), Matches Played-66; Won-27; Drawn-8; Lost-31; Goals For-152; Goals Against-143, Captain-Enrique Gonzalez, Coach-Roger Pallarols.

Fieldhockey.com



Fit-again Mandeep eye senior comeback through Junior WC way

LUCKNOW: Sidelined by injuries since the Champions Trophy in London earlier this year, young India striker Mandeep is desperate to impress the national selectors with his showing in the ongoing men's Junior Hockey World Cup here in a bid to earn his place back in the senior side.

Mandeep became an instant hit following his superb goal-scoring spree in the inaugural edition of the Hockey India League in 2013 which eventually earned him a call in the senior national side for Hockey World League Round 1 in Fiji.

Since then the 21-year-old striker from Surjeet Singh Hockey Academy has been in and out of the senior side because of injuries and dip in form.

Well aware that a comeback won't be easy now with plenty of competition up for every place, Mandeep is looking to utilise each and every opportunity to impress the Roelant Oltmans-led coaching set-up and the selectors.

"Of late I suffered a lot of injuries. I last played for India in the Champions Trophy in London but then I missed the Rio Olympics with a finger injury. It was a very disappointing moment for me because I was playing well at that time," Mandeep told PTI in an interview.

"After recovering from the finger injury I suffered a hamstring problem and it kept me out of the reckoning for another 2 months. But now I have completely recovered after going through a rehab in Bangalore for one-and-half months. After World Cup I will play in the Hockey India League. I just want to score more and more goals and in the process impress the selectors and make a comeback in the senior side."

The senior most player in the junior squad in terms of experience, Mandeep, however, very well knows the importance of a 'team'.

"I am eager to return to the senior side but I can't play as an individual in a tournament like the World Cup. I will give my 100 per cent but I can't play individual hockey," said the striker stressing on the importance of this tournament for India who are aiming to break their title jinx after a hiatus of 15 years.

Mandeep has been very impressive here so far, having scored two goals and earned three man-of-the-match awards.

Even though he started in right earnest in his pursuit of a comeback in the senior side, Mandeep knows he will face tough competition.

"This tournament is very important for me. It is a World Cup and we are hosting it, so we are enjoying a lot. The crowd factor is acting in our favour," he said.

"Indian hockey has made great progress. There is plenty of competition for every spot. So it will be fun. Not only me but all players will try to give their 100 per cent during a match to impress the selectors.

"All these junior players playing in the World Cup are capable of playing in the senior side and one day will make the cut. Going forward it will be tough for everyone because at present there is plenty of competition for places."

Mandeep said he is also trying to utilise his experience of playing in the senior side in the ongoing World Cup.

"Whatever drills I have learnt playing with the senior team I am just trying to share those experiences with the junior players here," he concluded.

The Indian colts have ended their pool engagements with an all-win record and will now play Spain in the quarter-finals on Thursday.

The Times of India



Hockey or football, not a different ball game altogether for the Dutch

Despite the fundamental differences between hockey and football, they have shared ideas for decades.

by Mihir Vasavda


Like in football, the Dutch have pioneered fresh strategies in hockey too, sometimes borrowing from football. (Source: Express File)

At the 2014 World Cup, Holland coach Louis van Gaal had two men in his support staff who had never been associated with football. Instead, Hans Jorritsma and Max Reckers were professional hockey players. But in Brazil, they were strategic analysts for the Oranje. It was surprising. But hardly unusual. Holland’s favourite sport has often turned to its second-favourite sport for tactical inspiration. And vice versa.

For years, the Dutch have followed a 1-3-3-3 system in hockey. It was their signature style but was eventually sorted out by their rivals. Now, they have introduced a new trend. Several football teams have recently turned to the idea of placing two controlling midfielders in front of a four-man defence.

Arsenal, for instance, have stuck resolutely to the 4-2-3-1 formation in recent years. Looking at how the system provided flexibility for counterattacks while still providing defensive stability in football, Holland ditched their traditional formation and introduced the 4-2-3-1 system in world hockey.

On the face of it, football and hockey have little in common. Both sports deploy 11 men on the field and the ultimate aim is to score a goal. But that’s where the similarities end. Or so it seems. Tactical crossover between the two ball games has existed for decades. Hockey often looked at football for its systems and counter-control techniques while footballers have often grudgingly admired hockey players’ speed, creativity and individual skills.



Idea exchange

Holland isn’t the only country where the two sports engage in exchange of ideas. Several coaches and players at the junior World Cup are open to the idea of looking at football to learn more about their own game. And Belgium are the latest addition to the list. The tiny European nation’s rise as a hockey power has intrigued even their football federation. “So, in the last 2-3 years, we have seen football coaches and analysts opening up to see what we have been doing in hockey,” Belgium under-21 coach Jeroen Baart says.

Baart has been advising his players to observe the footballers. When they began their preparations for the junior World Cup, the half-Dutchman instructed his forwards to learn movements from their football counterparts. Baart wanted his strikers to look at how football players beat the offside trap and created space to receive the ball with their running techniques – forward or sideways. Like Thomas Mueller or Sergio Aguero.

It’s something that fascinates even the Argentines. Their striker Nicolas Valeria, whose family lives in Barcelona, is captivated by Uruguay and Barca striker Luis Suarez’s ability to generate space inside a packed box. “That’s one aspect I look at. How he creates space, beats the defence and finishes ruthlessly,” Valeria says.

Spain manager Alejandro Iglesias says one of the duties of their junior team midfielder Llorenc Grau Piera’s is to watch Barcelona playmaker Xavi Hernandez. “Great players always decide the next pass, someone like a Xavi. In the junior set-up, we’ve someone in that role (Llorenc Grau Piera), whose main job is similar. So we tell him to look at Xavi,” Iglesias says.

Even India’s Sardar Singh has admitted to watching videos of Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona. “I have been watching them since a long time. I watch their videos and observe how they pass a ball, dodge other players, score etc. I watch it before a match, I have some of their videos on my iPad. It gives me confidence,” he had earlier said.

For the hockey coaches, it’s all about studying structures. Soon after he guided Holland to a World Cup win in 1998, Roelant Oltmans joined football club NAC as their performance director. During his stint with NAC, which is now a second division side, the current India coach studied various patterns.

One of the biggest improvements India has made under Oltmans is with the defensive structure. The moment they lose the ball, Indian players are quick to form a strong defensive structure which prevents the opponents from launching a counter-attack. Oltmans, who likes the way Arsenal play (but is unhappy that they do not win), calls it counter control.

It is one aspect of modern hockey coaches have picked up from football. Germany’s under-21 as well as senior team coach Valentin Altenburg terms it ‘re-pressure’, but the meaning remains the same. “If you lose the ball, how can you quickly get it back? I learn this from Barcelona and Bayern Munich. When they play long balls, they have very good structure behind it. So if the ball falls to an opponent’s feet, their players are already in position to get it back,” Altenburg, regarded as one of hockey’s brightest young coaches, says. “The idea is not to give time to launch a counter-attack. We look at football to learn these tactics.”

Germany, of course, is a country where football has looked more at hockey for inspiration in recent years than the other way round. In 2006, the German football federation appointed a former national hockey coach, Bernhard Peters, as a technical consultant to overhaul the country’s youth set-up. Last year, they snapped another former German hockey coach, Marcus Weise, as the head of the federation’s academy in Frankfurt. Hockey’s most significant contribution to football, though, came in two separate incidents in 1970s. Argentina hosted both hockey and football World Cups in 1978. Back then, Pakistan were hockey’s wizards. Argentina coach Cesar Luis Menotti frequented the hockey ground and so mesmerized was he by the South Asian team’s virtuoso wing play that he attended a training camp under then Pakistan coach Abdul Waheed. Three months later, Argentina were crowned world champions.

Even Johan Cruyff’s philosophy of Total football, which revolutionized the sport in the 70s, has its roots in a little-known hockey experiment in the 1930s. Both sports have evolved since then, but India has been living in a cave.

There has virtually been no progression in the way both, football and hockey, teams have played while there is almost zero knowledge sharing. Oltmans remembers sharing notes with former India football coach Wim Koevermans during the 2014 Asian Games but there was very little practical application.

“In India, you are still talking about a 5-3-2 (system in hockey). In football that formation hasn’t been played for 50-60-70 years. It’s a completely different system here,” Oltmans says. “We are in the process of changing the way we play. But I am not going to tell you how.”

Indian Express



Rasquinha calls for developing proper coaches

Archiman Bhaduri

KOLKATA: Former India hockey team skipper Viren Rasquinha felt its time the country produce good coaches. Speaking at a panel discussion in Kolkata, Rasquinha said he feels pity when he sees the coaches are giving the same instruction to the boys which they used to receive during their playing days.

"The game has grown in leaps and bounds since I left the sport. But I find little change in the coaching process. The boys are still learning the same way that we used to do decades ago which is ridiculous," he stated.

The former midfielder felt "except badminton coach Pullela Gopichand, we don't have any international standard coach who can find a job at any top sporting nation." "We need to have proper trained coaches at grassroot level so that future prospects can be brought up in the right way," he added.

Former national champion Enrico Piperno, who was also present on the occasion, said that he had found kids lacking motor skills these days. "As a coach I find kids in the age group of 7-11 lack proper motor skills. You generally teach skills after 11 years, but in India we are pre-occupied with teaching them how to pick up motor skills. Hence we are late in teaching skills to youngsters," he stated.

Rasquinha, being associated with Olympic Gold Quest now, feels our coaches should need to upgrade themselves with time. However, he is also sorry to see that Indian coaches are not paid as high as their foreign counterparts. "I have nothing against foreign coaches. (Roelant) Oltmans is perhaps one among the top five hockey coaches in the world. But we need more like Harendra Singhs (in charge of junior hockey team). Only then can we have a rosy future for sports in India," he concluded.

The Times of India



'Baby' Black Sticks trump Malaysia


Black Sticks player Pippa Norman makes a break in their international hockey match against Malaysia .Photo / Photosport

A youthful Black Sticks lineup were again too good for Malaysia on Tuesday night, prevailing 2-0 in Stratford.

The Black Sticks women led 1-0 at halftime through an early Michaela Curtis goal, set up well by Natasha Fitzsimons. A second half strike by Cat Tinings, after she won possession deep in the Malaysian half, sealed the result.

The result could have been more emphatic, but a Deana Ritchie shot was ruled to have found the net a second after the final buzzer.

The visitors rarely threatened, though New Zealand's Erin Goad cleared a shot off the line after a lightning Malaysian counter attack midway through the second half.

This series is being used as a developmental tool by Black Sticks women coach Mark Hagar, and he included debutants Alia Jaques, Megan Hull, Deanna Ritchie and Jess Anderson on Tuesday after picking eight rookies for the first match last Sunday.

The result continued New Zealand's dominance over their Asian rivals, after they won the first test 3-0.

It's a fair reflection of the respective team's prowess, with the Black Sticks ranked No5 in the world and the Malaysian side a lowly 21st.

The New Zealand Herald



Malaysian women’s team suffer defeat to Kiwis

KUALA LUMPUR: The national women’s hockey team gave an improved showing but still lost 2-0 to New Zealand in their second Test match in Straford.

Earlier in their first of the five-match Test series on Monday, the Kiwis won 3-0.

Yesterday, New Zealand took only three minutes to grab the lead through a field goal by Micheala Curtis.

But Malaysia held on before conceding the second in the 43rd minute. The Malaysians failed to spot a loose ball in their half and Catherine Tinning managed to sneak in to score a field goal.

Malaysian coach K. Dharmaraj said there were a lot of positives to be taken from the match.

“It was a much better performance. We lost but the mistakes were fewer. We also had better goalscoring chances compared to the first game.

“Let’s be honest. The Kiwis are the world No. 10. They are a much better side than us.

“This is the kind of opposition we need and I am sure the players will learn from these matches. I will be happy if the players continue to show courage and take the fight to the Kiwis,” added Dharmaraj.

Malaysia, who are preparing for the World League Round Two in Kuala Lumpur in January, will play the third Test match tomorrow.

The Star of Malaysia



Scotland senior women squad announced for Spain matches


Nicola Skrastin

Scotland’s Women’s international hockey team’s quest to qualify for the Hockey World Cup soon gets underway, as the team enters the final phase of preparation for February’s World League 2 tournament by taking on Spain in Valencia.

The team will set off for warm weather camps in Gran Canaria before Christmas, and then in Valencia in January where they will play four matches against a competitive Spanish side. The matches will take place on 9th, 10th, 14th, and 15th of January.

The two sides met in Alicante back in June in a three-match series with the hosts taking the spoils over the close and competitive series. The games in January offer the perfect opportunity for the Scots to prepare for World League 2 in the surroundings the tournament will be held in. World League 2 will be held in Valencia on 4 February until 12 February 2017 and features Scotland, Spain, Czech Republic, Ghana, Poland, Russia, and Ukraine. A place in the Hockey World League semi-final is up for grabs and the top two teams will qualify. The Hockey World League semi-final is where teams can qualify for the Hockey World Cup.

Competition for squad places for World League 2 is strong. Scotland Women’s Head Coach Gordon Shepherd said: “Both the Gran Canaria and Valencia camps are the final stages of preparation for World League 2 in February. We have 26 players competing for 18 places. The camps will be a mix of physical prep, tactical prep and international games versus Spain. I am looking for players to push themselves through this phase and make final selection difficult for the coaches.”

Squad for the games against Spain

Nicola Cochrane (N/A)
Lucy Camlin (Watsonians)
Susan Al-Haddad (Edinburgh University)
Kareena Cuthbert (Western Wildcats)
Becky Ward (Dundee Wanderers)
Robyn Collins (Surbiton)
Amy Costello (University of Birmingham)
Bex Condie (University of Birmingham)
Susan McGilveray (Clydesdale Western)
Kate Holmes (Clifton)
Nikki Lloyd (Wimbledon HC)
Ali Howie (Clydesdale Western)
Sarah Robertson (Edinburgh University)
Nicola Skrastin (Grove Menzieshill)
Katie Robertson (Grove Menzieshill)
Heather Howie (Clydesdale Western)
Mairi Drummond (Wimbledon HC)
Amy Brodie (Edinburgh University)
Becky Merchant (Edinburgh University)
Jennifer Eadie (Clydesdale Western)
Fiona Bruce (Clydesdale Western)
Fiona Burnet (Clifton)
Sarah Jamieson (Grove Menzieshill)
Charlotte Watson (Dundee Wanderers)
Laura Swanson (Edinburgh University)
Millie Brown (Clydesdale Western)

Scottish Hockey Union media release



Udita to lead India U-18 squad for women's hockey Asia Cup

NEW DELHI: Midfielder Udita will be leading an 18-member squad for the fourth Women U-18 Asia Cup, to be held in Bangkok, Thailand from December 16 to 22.

Salima Tete will be Udita's deputy during the upcoming tournament, Hockey India (HI) announced on Tuesday.

Fresh from her stint with the national side in the recently concluded series against Australia, 14-year-old Salima will be a key member in the Indian defence that will be held by Ritu, Neelu Dadiya, Suman Devi Thoudam, and Gagandeep Kaur, along with goalkeepers Divya Thepe and Alpha Kerketta.

The midfield will see young talents such as Manpreet Kaur, Jyoti, Mariana Kujur, Mahima Choudhary and Lalremsiami, besides skipper Udita.

The forward line will include the likes of Sangita Kumari, Poonam, Leelavathy Mallamada Jaya, Rajwinder Kaur, and Mumtaz Khan.

Udita said the girls were upbeat and confident about doing well in the tournament.

"This is a very good learning opportunity for young players like us. The team is really looking forward to playing in Bangkok. We are playing well as a unit and will put our best foot forward against the opponents," she said.

Squad:

Goalkeerpers: Divya Thepe, Alpha Kerketta.

Defenders: Salima Tete (Vice Captain), Ritu, Neelu Dadiya, Suman Devi Thoudam, Gagandeep Kaur.

Midfielders: Udita (Captain), Manpreet Kaur, Jyoti, Mariana Kujur, Mahima Choudhary, Lalremsiami.

Forwards: Sangita Kumari, Poonam, Leelavathy Mallamada Jaya, Rajwinder Kaur, Mumtaz Khan.

The Times of India



Indian hockey squad for Women Under-18 Asia Cup announced

NEW DELHI: Hockey India (HI) on Tuesday announced an 18-member squad for the 4th Women Under-18 Asia Cup to be held in Bangkok from December 16-22.

The team will be led by midfielder Udita and defender Salima Tete will be her deputy.

Fresh from her stint with the Under-18 national side in the recently concluded series against Australia, 14-year-old Salima will be a key member in the Indian defence that will have other members Ritu, Neelu Dadiya, T. Suman Devi, and Gagandeep Kaur.

The goalkeepers in the squad are Divya Thepe and Alpha Kerketta.

The midfield will see young talents including Udita, Manpreet Kaur, Jyoti, Mariana Kujur, Mahima Choudhary, and Lalremsiami. The forward line will include Sangita Kumari, Poonam, Leelavathy Mallamada Jaya, Rajwinder Kaur, and Mumtaz Khan.

An enthusiastic group of young players, the girls are upbeat and confident before the tournament.

Captain Udita said: "This is a very good learning opportunity for young players like us. The team is really looking forward to playing in Bangkok. We are playing well as a unit and will put our best foot forward against our opponents."

Goalkeepers: Divya Thepe, Alpha Kerketta.

Defenders: Salima Tete (vice captain), Ritu, Neelu Dadiya, T. Suman Devi, Gagandeep Kaur.

Midfielders: Udita (captain), Manpreet Kaur, Jyoti, Mariana Kujur, Mahima Choudhary, Lalremsiami.

Forwards: Sangita Kumari, Poonam, Leelavathy Mallamada Jaya, Rajwinder Kaur, Mumtaz Khan.

The Times of India

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