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News for 02 March 2018

All the news for Friday 2 March 2018


Albery to miss Azlan Shah Cup


James Albery

England Hockey defender James Albery will miss the upcoming Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Malaysia after sustaining a fracture in his foot.

Albery picked up the knock in a test match with Scotland last week and after the injury did not heal as expected, scans revealed a small fracture which rules him out of the tournament in Ipoh and contention for selection for the upcoming Commonwealth Games.

He will be replaced by fellow defender and Beeston player Ollie Willars who will fly out to join the squad in Malaysia tomorrow.

This comes as a blow to the squad and to James, who was set to compete for England at his first major senior tournament and all at England Hockey wish James a quick and speedy recovery.

England Hockey Board Media release



Sardar Singh-led India look to test fresh faces ahead of World Cup

Sundeep Misra


File picture of Sardar Singh. Getty

Over the past few weeks, there have been discussions, debates, selection meetings, player-coach sessions over what would be the best schedule to follow for a national team searching for answers to decades of under-performance on the global stage. Ranked sixth in the world and trying to barge into the top four, ambitious enough to muscle their way into the top two, India begin a defining 2018 hockey campaign at the Sultan Azlan Shah Tournament in Ipoh, Malaysia which could very well set the tone for the rest of the year.

With the International Hockey Federation (FIH) releasing the Pools for the year-end World Cup, India would have been excited to see that they face Belgium, South Africa and Canada. ‘Hold your horses’, coach Sjoerd Marijne would have said. ‘It’s just the Pool. It’s a long trek to 28 November’; the opening day of the FIH World Cup when India take on South Africa, in front of more than 15,000 frenzied Bhubaneswar fans while the rest of the country hopes for something substantial. It’s been 43 years since India last won the World Cup in 1975 or even played a semi-final.

The Sultan Azlan Shah Hockey Tournament may not give ranking points, Olympic-lustre medals or even a direct entry into the World Cup semi-finals (now that’s a delicious thought!) but in that compact, beautiful Sultan Azlan Shah Stadium in Ipoh, Perak, it will be the commencement of a journey that would give a peek into the immediate composition of the Indian team and proof that when faced with the likes of World No 1 Australia and Olympic Champions Argentina, does India fold or stand erect. Are they capable of giving back as good as they receive?

India, five times champions in the past, with two silver and seven bronze in 20 appearances haven’t brought their first team. Now that’s a riddle, but it could also be that the think-tank — coach Sjoerd Marijne and High Performance Director David Jones — are just playing a teaser before announcing a set of players intrinsic to the team in the important campaigns spread through the year.

Marijne has rotated players, exposing youngsters to the stress of playing higher ranked teams with the players coming off well. In any international sport, when facing a top-four-ranked team, there is only one way out: stand up or fold away. Most youngsters, like Dipsan Tirkey and Vivek Prasad, have shown rare verve, vigour, sparkle and zing. Vivek will not be in Ipoh but Dipsan gets another opportunity to showcase his talent and seal a place for the Commonwealth Games or the tournaments in the later part of the year.

Missing from the list are the forwards Akashdeep Singh, SV Sunil, Mandeep Singh, the captain Manpreet Singh in the midfield, the two key defenders plus penalty corners flickers, Harmanpreet Singh and Rupinder Pal Singh and the inspirational goalkeeper P Sreejesh; one way or the other, these seven are definite selections in an Indian team. With Sreejesh being rested, Suraj Karkera and Krishan Pathak get another chance to cement their places. Three youngsters Mandeep Mor, Sumit Kumar and Shilanand Lakra make their debut in the senior team and it would be interesting to see how they fare against some of the best in the world.

India’s defence would be under Varun Kumar, Surender Kumar and Dipsan being the key players with rotations happening around Rohidas and Sanjeev Xess. Upfront, you have the familiar face of Ramandeep Singh, now vice-captain, with Gurjant Singh and Talwinder Singh. It does lack the guile, trickery and finesse of an Akashdeep and the speed of SV Sunil, but Marijne has understood enough about Ramandeep and Gurjant to be able to sustain moments with their speed and muscular play.

It’s the midfield where things get interesting. Sardar Singh is back in the team as captain. There is talk that having given the captaincy to Sardar, it’s a kind of ‘agreed’ mutual send off. But that would be too simplistic an argument and falling prey to a bit of rumour-mongering since Sardar himself has thrown the gauntlet to remain fit and fight for a place in the national team for the World Cup and beyond. Supported by SK Uthappa, who himself is under pressure to perform, the young and peppy Sumit, Nilakanta Sharma and Simranjeet Singh, Sardar has to impress in leadership skills and also send a message that the skills that made him one of India’s most influential players in the last 5-7 years are not on the wane.

"It’s a great feeling to captain the Indian team. I will try to give my best as only a good showing on the turf can make a difference," Sardar said. "I need to stay fit and play good hockey, which is the only way to survive."

The pressure has been on him since the time he was left out of the Hockey World League Finals. Ipoh is not new to Sardar. In 2008, he captained the team to silver and then again in 2015 and 2016 he led the team to a bronze and silver. As captain, he has never finished without a medal. But he hasn’t won the Azlan Shah yet. Just before the team flew to Malaysia, Sardar said, "It is extremely important to start the tournament well. A good match against Argentina will give the team the confidence for the rest of the matches to follow. We have beaten teams like Australia and England in the past and have done well against Argentina too. We just need to ensure we play in a structured manner and execute the team's plans."

Sardar knows that structures are a result of discipline. And to expect that in moments of pressure and stress from a team that does look short on experience when compared to Olympic champions Argentina and Hockey World League Final winners Australia would be asking a bit too much. Yet, blooding players is a must and Sardar playing positively would certainly inspire the others. The Indian captain finds himself back in the midfield even though after the Dhaka Asia Cup he had said he preferred the role of a free man at the back. "The team plays the way the coach structures us," said Sardar. "I will give my best in the midfield or defence."

The challenge would of course come from Olympic champions Argentina who won the tournament in 2008 when Sardar was captain, beating India in the final 2-1 with Carlos Retegui as coach. Now Retegui is gone, having resigned his position. It is a shock for Argentina, for the man was responsible for taking the South Americans to Olympic gold. Yet the team that would enter the field in Ipoh is extremely strong with Juan Manuel Vivaldi, Pedro Ibarra, Diego Paz, Lucas Vila, Matias Paredes, Gonzalo Peillat and Lucas Rossi being the pace setters. For Argentina, this is their only fifth Cup appearance in 35 years and first since 2012. It would also be interesting to see how Argentina fare without Retegui, the man who lead them to Cup glory at the 2015 Pan American Games, 2016 Summer Olympics and 2017 Pan American Cup.

The other contender and almost certain of a place in the final would be Australia who finished runners-up to Great Britain at the last Azlan Shah. The Australians have won the Cup nine times and have reached a record 13 Azlan Shah Finals. Coach Colin Batch has recalled 12 players who played the HWL Finals last year. It will take more than just skill and power to beat an Aussie side that has never finished below bronze in the competition. England will also feature more than ten players from last year’s winning team. But off late the team has been under a cloud, winning only five of their last 13 official matches.

Ireland make their debut at the Azlan Shah and is one of the most pugnacious teams globally. Recently, they finished second in a Five Nations tournament beating Canada, Scotland and the United States before losing the final to Spain. And having qualified for the 2018 World Cup, they would want a few scalps to raise morale within the ranks.

India’s bugbear of sorts has always been hosts Malaysia. Even last year, they beat India 0-1 and then crushed hopes of a HWL semi-final in London by beating India in a virtual quarter-final match. Stephen Van Huizen, Malaysian coach was in Bhubaneswar during the HWL Finals watching the rest of the teams and preparing for the World Cup. "Wins and only wins can make you progress through the rankings and even the Azlan Shah is important for us to create a winning mentality in a year with so many important tournaments," said Stephen.

For the World Cup, Malaysia has been drawn in Group D together with World No 4 the Netherlands, Germany (5th) and Pakistan (13th), but Van Huizen is adamant they will progress. "We are certain we are in with a chance to qualify for the quarter-finals because there is a slight change in format where only the winners of each group qualify automatically for the knockout stage while teams who finish second and third respectively will have to play a cross-over round to qualify for the quarter-finals," he said in an interview to the New Straits Times. The road to that possible quarter-final berth begins in Ipoh at the Azlan Shah.

The teams, star players, a challenging year and history will all come together to make this an excellent Azlan Shah in recent memory. For India, it could get slightly bumpy but despite lack of a world class penalty corner flicker, the team would ride on its youthful exuberance, a coach hell-bent on producing results, a captain out to tell his detractors that age is only a number, and a team that writes a story of consistent achievement not just a boom and bust drama.

Firstpost



Swansong or second wind for Sardar Singh

Amidst murmurs of Azlan Shah Cup being his last outing, Sardar Singh has a chance to revive his career.

by Mihir Vasavda


Sardar Singh denies receiving an ultimatum and has vowed to carry on till the World Cup in November. (Source: Express Archive)

The year 2008 was, without a doubt, the darkest for Indian hockey. The twin blows of not qualifying for the Beijing Olympics and a sting operation that caught the then secretary of the national federation accepting bribes to include a player in the team had shaken the sport’s soul. There was, though, the proverbial silver lining from the unlikeliest of places — the Azlan Shah Cup.

Still reeling from the shock of missing the Olympics, the IHF wasn’t keen on sending a team to Ipoh despite being invited by their Malaysian counterparts. But with an eye on the 2009 junior World Cup — and the federation’s internal wrangling with some senior players — it was decided to send a young team, with Sardar Singh as the captain.

Sardar still wasn’t the player that he would eventually become but he was quietly growing in reputation — in the first half of 2008, he was the only player who featured in every match India played. Azlan Shah, however, was when he would truly arrive on the scene. On his captaincy debut, Sardar led an Indian team comprising 12 junior players to its first final at the tournament in 13 years, eventually settling for silver. Crucially, it marked the team’s revival from its darkest phase. Sardar played a pivotal role as India gradually clawed its way back among the hockey elite.

A decade later, Sardar arrives in Ipoh once again as the leader of a young group but this time, with the hope of finding a second wind.

There have been strong suggestions that the week-long tournament, starting Saturday, will be Sardar’s swansong. Handing him the captain’s armband, sources say, is to ensure he goes out with dignity and if Sardar himself does not announce his retirement after the tournament, he will be overlooked for future tournaments as coach Sjoerd Marijne is keen on having younger, quicker players in his team. The 31-year-old denies receiving any such ultimatum and has vowed to carry on till November’s World Cup at the very least. The team management, too, has dissed the theory but they acknowledge that Sardar will have to ‘prove himself’ at Azlan Shah to stay in contention for next month’s Commonwealth Games. “You cannot deny that his place in the team is not indispensible anymore,” says former India coach AK Bansal, who made Sardar the captain in 2008. “But if he is used smartly, his experience can be valuable to the young squad especially since the team will be playing some very important tournaments this year.”

Bansal makes two points — using him ‘smartly’ and ‘experience’ — which are crucial. A parallel can be drawn with Australia’s utilization of their talismanic defender Mark Knowles. He led Australia to World Cup glory in 2014 aged 31. Since then, he has been coming off the bench for short durations instead of playing for long periods in one go.

Doing so helped Knowles prolong his career and also ensure a smooth transition after several established players quit in the interim and the Kookaburras are once again the favourites going into the World Cup this year. India may not be as good as Australia but Sardar is in the same league as Knowles.

With Marijne focussing on giving youngsters more opportunities, Sardar’s experience can be valuable. At the World League Final in Bhubaneswar last December, the team was found wanting in crunch situations and even though captain Manpreet Singh is more effective as a centre-half than Sardar, he — at times — wasn’t able to cope up with the pressure on field.

To cut him some slack, the World League was Manpreet’s first major tournament as a captain at home and he did not have PR Sreejesh, too, in his corner. The pressure will ratchet up at the World Cup and Asian Games, where India could do with a few calm heads on the field. Sardar has also shown the willingness adapt. In the last two years, Sardar has been made to play in all three areas of the field to keep him relevant in the team. Former coach Roelant Oltmans tried to accommodate him as a forward, hoping that his dribbling skills would come in handy in the opponent’s ‘D’.

At the Olympics, he returned to his preferred position in the central midfield, which allowed him to control the play. But Sardar was accused of slowing down the game by holding the ball for a wee bit longer, which took the sting off India’s quick counterattacks. That, coupled with Manpreet Singh’s growing stature, meant Sardar had to play second fiddle to the player he once mentored.

Once it was established that Manpreet was preferred over Sardar as a centre-half, the former captain was forced to drop further back. In his first tournament as coach last year — the Asia Cup — Marijne made Sardar play as a defender. In the tournament that mattered — the World League Final — Sardar was dropped, with Marijne choosing younger players. It was another reminder for Sardar that his place in the squad was in danger – not that he needed any reminding.

“I know where I lack and I get constant feedback from the coach. That is the reason why I spend extra hours in the gym and rest a lot more to ensure my body recovers well. I need to take care of my body to ensure the performances are good on the field,” Sardar had earlier said.

At the Azlan Shah, Sardar will be back at his favoured position in the centre of the pitch. His ageing body has found it increasingly difficult to keep up with the quick, fresh legs around him in the last few tournaments. Whether he has the legs to survive the pace remains to be seen. Athletes often look for good omen. As Sardar returns to the venue, and tournament, where it all kick-started for him 10 years ago, he will hope this time, he will be able to script his own revival.

Indian Express



Men’s National Team names 2018 Commonwealth Games Roster



The 2018 Commonwealth Games is taking place on April 4-15, 2018 in Gold Coast, Australia. Canada’s Men’s National Team is currently ranked 11th in the world and will play their preliminary matches against Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Scotland. Click HERE for the full schedule.

Field Hockey Canada is announcing the following 18 athletes to the 2018 Commonwealth Games official roster.

PLAYING ROSTER
PLAYER NAME    PROVINCE    CURRENT CLUB    POSITION
Adam Froese    ALB    India HC    DEF
Balraj Panesar    BC    United Brothers    DEF
Brandon Pereira    BC    United Brothers    DEF
Gordon Johnston    BC    UBC HC    DEF
Scott Tupper    BC    West Vancouver HC    DEF
John Smythe    BC    Vancouver Hawks HC    MID/DEF
Mark Pearson    BC    West Vancouver HC    MID
Sukhi Panesar    BC    United Brothers HC    MID
Taylor Curran    BC    West Vancouver HC    MID
Richard Hildreth    BC    East Grinstead HC    MID/FWD
Brenden Bissett    BC    NMHC Nijmegen    MID/FWD
Keegan Pereira    ONT    Muilhium HC    FWD
Matthew Sarmento    BC    KHC Leuven    FWD
Floris Van Son    BC    FC Barcelona    FWD
Iain Smythe    BC    Vancouver Hawks HC    FWD
James Kirkpatrick    BC    West Vancouver HC    FWD
Antoni Kindler    BC    West Vancouver HC    GK
David Carter    BC    United Brothers    GK

“We’re thrilled to congratulate our men’s and women’s field hockey teams bound for the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast,” said Chef de Mission Claire Carver-Dias. “Field hockey is a strong Commonwealth sport and the level of competition is sure to be impressive.”

TRAVELING STAFF

Team Manager: Celia Plottel
Head Coach: Paul Bundy
Assistant Coach: Gregg Clark
Physiotherapist: Guy Robertson
Video Analyst: Paul Mounter

NON-TRAVELING RESERVES
PLAYER NAME    PROVINCE    CLUB    POSITION
Adrien D'Andrade    BC    Burnaby HC    DEF
Brad Logan    BC    Oxted HC    DEF
Harbir Sidhu    BC    UVic HC    MID
Jamie Wallace    BC    UBC HC    MID
Devohn Noronha Teixeira    ONT    Toronto Lion HC    FWD
Oliver Scholfield    BC    Klipper THC    FWD
Iqwinder Gill    BC    India HC    GK

Field Hockey Canada media release



Easy World Cup? Not at all, says Marijne


Sjoerd Marijne (right) with captain Manpreet Singh. File

Ipoh: Handed a relatively easy draw in the World Cup, the Indian hockey team head coach Sjoerd Marijne emphasised on the importance of winning every single match and not be complacent about their opponents.

The hosts have been clubbed with Olympic silver medallists Belgium, Canada and South Africa in a favourable Pool C of the tournament, to be played at Bhubaneswar on Nov 28-Dec 16 this year.

“It is the World Cup and every team will come with the intention of winning,” said Marijne. “So, we can never say we are in a favourable pool or a tough pool. We need to respect every opponent and world rankings don’t matter in a World Cup.”

“We need to focus on ourselves and ensure we win every single match if we want to win the Cup,” he added.

India will start their campaign against South Africa on November 28 and play their second match on December 2 against Belgium. The hosts will play Canada in their final Pool C match on December 8.

“Belgium is one of the strongest teams in the world and we have shown that we can beat them (at the World League Final Bhubaneswar in 2017 and in the recent New Zealand Tour),” the 43-year-old Marijne said. “In December too, it will be a close match and people in Bhubaneswar will love it. But like I said, we can’t be complacent about any team.”

The Indian team is presently in Ipoh, Malaysia for the 27th Sultan Azlan Shah Cup where they play Argentina in their opening match on Saturday. While the team’s focus is on performing well at this coveted event, Marijne said, his team will need to peak in every major tournament this year. “There are many more tournaments this year... We are not looking at peaking at just one particular tournament but there is Asian Games and also Champions Trophy before the World Cup,” he said.

The quarterfinals will take place on December 12 and 13, the semifinals on December 15, the final on December 16

The Four Pools
Pool A: Argentina, New Zealand, Spain, France

Pool B: Australia, England, Ireland, China

Pool C: Belgium, India, Canada, South Africa

Pool D: Netherlands, Germany, Malaysia, Pakistan

The Tribune



No room for complacency: Marijne

India plays Argentina on Saturday in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup


Clear idea: Sjoerd Marijne stressed on the need to respect every opponent and feels world rankings don’t matter in a World Cup. 

Handed a relatively easy draw in the World Cup, the Indian men’s hockey team head coach Sjoerd Marijne emphasised on the importance of winning every single match and not be complacent about the opponents. The host has been clubbed with Belgium, Canada and South Africa.

“It is the World Cup and every team will come with the intention of winning. We need to respect every opponent,” said Marijne.

The Indian team is here for the 27th Sultan Azlan Shah Cup where it plays Argentina on Saturday. While the focus is on performing well, Marijne said his team will need to peak in every major tournament this year.

“There are many more tournaments this year where the team will need bring out the best. We are not looking at peaking at just one particular tournament but there is the Asiad and also Champions Trophy before the World Cup. We need to be at our best in every tournament.” He added that the team’s scientific advisor Robin Arkell has worked out a plan that ensures players start every tournament with optimum fitness level.

The Hindu



Ireland coach critcises move to less matches at World Cup

Classification matches are gone, meaning teams could go home after three game

Johnny Watterson


Ireland coach Craig Fulton has criticised the format changes at the Hockey World Cup. Photo: Mervyn McClelland/Inpho

Irish coach Craig Fulton has criticised the change in format of the World Cup, which takes place in Bhubaneswar, India at the end of the year.

The International Hockey Federation (FIH) have introduced a new look tournament in which there are no classification matches, thus departing from the format of traditional events.

The 16 team competition has four pools of four teams with the last placed team in each pool going home after the pool phase.

It means that some nations may only play three pool matches if they do not qualify for the knockout stages of the competition, whereas in the past each team was assured of seven matches right down to the bottom two places.

The event organisers will obviously hope that home side India will survive the early rounds or the tournament will be left without a home team playing, which in India is a big crowd puller. The Kilinga Stadium, where the matches are being staged, has a capacity 15,000, which will be full for the Indian matches.

Missing out on a possible meeting between India and Pakistan, who are in different pools, would also deprive the sport of one of the great grudge matches in world hockey.

“I don’t agree with not playing any classification matches which is a real shame in this World Cup,” said Fulton.

“Worst case scenario is you could potentially only play three pool games and then go home, when in the past you played seven games to a final position and that’s real value for money”.

In the draw that was made this week, Ireland are included in Pool B alongside world number one side Australia, who Ireland play first on November 30th. The two sides rarely meet but will do in a warm up event, the Azlan Shah tournament in Malaysia on March 3rd, in which both sides are participating.

Ireland’s second match comes on December 4th against China, currently ranked 17th in the world. Although not as highly ranked as Ireland, China beat higher ranked Korea at World League in London to finish in 8th position.

England are the final pool opponents, against which Ireland have had mixed results. The teams recently met at the European Championships in Amsterdam last August, where England narrowly edged the match 2-1.

Prior to that Ireland put four goals to earn an historic European bronze medal in 2015 at England’s expense.

“We are happy with our World Cup draw, it’s a competitive pool and we have played all the teams recently which is a positive,” added Fulton.

The Irish Times



Fulton hits out at new format as Ireland get tough World Cup draw
 
By Graham Hamilton


Ireland coach Craig Fulton

Ireland men have been drawn with World No.1 Australia, old rivals England and the Chinese team ranked 17 for the World Cup finals in India later this year.

It's a tough pool for Craig Fulton's lads but there remains every chance that they can avoid bottom place which would automatically eliminate them from the knockout phase.

The Green Machine will get the chance to test themselves against Australia and England next week at the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup series in Malaysia but it is China, ranked seven places below them, who they will be concentrating on most.

Fulton, though, is unhappy with the new format.

"Worst-case scenario is you could play only three pool games and then go home, whereas in the past you played seven games to a final position, which is real value for the money and time put into preparation," he said.

Ireland start against Australia on November 30, followed by China on December 4 and finally England on December 7.

Meanwhile, the Burney Cup semi-final draw has paired together last season's finalists, Sullivan Upper and Wallace High.

The double-header semis, sponsored by John Minnis Estate Agents, are scheduled for Thursday, March 8 at Lisnagarvey, with Methodist College and Friends on first followed by Sullivan against Wallace.

John Minnis Estate Agents Burney Cup semi-finals: Methody v Friends (1.30pm); Sullivan Upper v Wallace High (3.30pm).

Burney Plate semi-finals: Banbridge Academy v Bangor Grammar; Kilkeel High or Royal & Prior v Grosvenor Grammar.

Belfast Telegraph



Malaysia draw strong opponents in 2018 hockey World Cup

By Aftar Singh

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia have been drawn in a tough group for the 14th edition of the men’s hockey World Cup in Bhubaneswar, India, from Nov 28-Dec 16.

They will have to contend with European title holders and three-time world champions Holland, ranked fourth in the world, two-time champions Germany (5th) and four-time winners Pakistan (13th) in Pool D.

India as hosts were joined by 15 others teams who qualified through last year’s Hockey World League Semi-Finals competitions in London and Johannesburg or by being crowned as continental champions.

National chief coach Stephen van Huizen admitted it was a tough draw and would be a challenge for Malaysia.

He said the format of the World Cup is different this time as the four group champions would qualify for the quarter-finals.

“Teams that finished second and third in the group also have a chance to qualify for the quarter-finals and they will play a crossover match with teams from the other groups.

“So, we have a second chance to reach the last eight. If we want to finish in the top eight, we have to win at least one match in the group to finish third in our group to compete in the crossover match.

“The challenge is that we have to play an extra match,” said Stephen, whose first assignment this year is the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, which begins in Ipoh tomorrow.

Malaysia’s best ever achievement in the World Cup was finishing fourth when it was hosted in Kuala Lumpur in 1975.

The 16 teams have been split into four pools of four, with Rio 2016 Olympic champions Argentina (current FIH World Ranking: 2) competing in Pool A alongside New Zealand (9th ranked), Spain (8th) and France (18th), while reigning world champions Australia (world no. 1) take on England (7th), Ireland (10th) and China (17th) in Pool B.

Rio 2016 Olympic silver medallists Belgium (3rd ranked) will compete in Pool C alongside home favourites and 1975 world champions India (6th), Canada (11th) and African continental champions South Africa (15th).

Malaysia last featured in the World Cup in The Hague, Holland in 2014 and they finished last among 12 teams. It was their worst ever performance as Malaysia lost all the six matches.

The Star of Malaysia



Hopkins appointed new coach of the South Africa men’s hockey team

Tshepiso Mametela


New South Africa men's hockey team head coach, Mark Hopkins.

GREENSIDE – Mark Hopkins, who took over from former SA men’s team hockey coach, Fabien Gregory, looks to raise the team’s international profile.

In the run-up to the 2018 Men’s Hockey World Cup in India later this year, the South Africa men’s hockey team has welcomed new coach, Mark Hopkins.

Hopkins was named the new head coach following the resignation of Fabian Gregory, who, having coached the beleaguered men’s side from 2014, stepped down after the Federation of International Hockey Federation (FIH) World League Semi-Finals in South Africa in July last year.

In his more than two years in charge, Gregory led the men’s side to the FIH Hockey World Cup in 2014 where South Africa finished 11th, before finishing in fifth place at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Scotland.

Hopkins said of his new appointment, “After the previous coach resigned, I just felt it was a good opportunity and the right time to put my name in the ring and see what happens in terms of trying out a few things… and hopefully work for these athletes in terms of the goals that they want to achieve.”

Among the challenges that lay ahead, Hopkins said the current process of player selection presented an overall challenge for the team, particularly for players based far away.

“I think that the challenge still with the national programme is that players are chosen, not only in different provinces but different countries,” explained Hopkins.

“There’s a big challenge when you have players playing their hockey in Europe. In my new role, however, I have to ensure that the athletes know exactly what’s expected [of them] and trying to build a brand of hockey that’s leveraged on that strength while ensuring an endurable brand for them to play and for the spectators to watch.”

Hopkins added that although he wouldn’t enjoy seamless access to players for the national team as much as he would at club level, he would embrace his new role with a clear plan and a forward-thinking mentality. “Maximising the time available and also working out alternative ways of staying in touch with players, even though I won’t see them as often, will be important.”

The 2018 Men’s Hockey World Cup takes place from 28 November to 16 December.

The Rosebank and Killarney Gazette



Margot and Co aiming to paint London orange


Netherlands star Margot van Geffen is eager to build on 2012 golden memories Photo: FIH/WSP

Margot van Geffen’s memories of London are mixed. In 2012 she was a member of the gold medal winning Dutch team that wowed the spectators at the packed stands in the Riverbank Arena.

The final match of the 2012 Olympics saw the Netherlands beat Argentina 2-0, with Maartje Paumen scoring a trademark penalty corner to seal the win.

Just three years later the Netherlands were back on the Olympic Park, again looking their imperious selves in the pool games of the 2015 Unibet EuroHockey Championships. However, in the final they found themselves up against an England team determined to please the home supporters.

“I love playing in London...the big crowds are great. It is always cool to play the host nation."
Margot van Geffen, Netherlands

The match was tied at 2-2, with Caia van Maasakker giving Netherlands an early 2-0 lead. With eight minutes left Sophie Bray and Lily Owsley brought the game back to level and then Maddie Hinch provided the heroics by saving three of four Dutch shoot-out attempts.

“I love playing in London,” said Van Geffen. “I remember both those occasions with mixed feelings. I think the memory that stands out clearest in my mind though has to be the 2012 Olympics. Walking around the Olympic Park, spending time in the Athletes Village, it was just so cool. That is the thing I remember most.”

The Netherlands have been on a devastating winning streak in the past two years. They took silver in the 2016 Olympics, losing out to Great Britain in the final, again on shoot-out and again with Hinch between the posts.

Since then, Alyson Annan, the Head Coach and FIH Women’s Coach of the Year, has put her own stamp of authority on the team.

“It was tough for Alyson, in the lead-up to Rio,” says Van Geffen. “We only had nine months to get to know each other. Following Rio, we had a debrief and since then Alyson has been far less stressed - she is much calmer now.”

Much of Annan’s calmness could be related to the fact that her team has rediscovered winning ways. Since the Australian superstar took charge, her team has played 63 games, winning 51 and drawing eight.

“I guess it all started with our our preparations for the Hockey World League Semi-Finals in Brussels,” says Van Geffen. “That was our first official tournament after Rio. It went well and we just kept winning. We had one big exciting game in that tournament against New Zealand. That was crazy. It went to shoot out and I think that showed we had recovered from the final in Rio. Facing another shoot-out, that was mentally tough.” She pauses before adding: “I hate the shoot-out actually.”

Since then Netherlands have gone on to secure the 2017 Rabobank EuroHockey Championships, without losing a game and they repeated that feat at the Sentinel Homes Hockey World League Final 2017 in Auckland, beating hosts New Zealand 3-0 in the final.

In 2014 at the World Cup in the Hague, the stadium was painted orange as 15,000 fans cheered the Netherlands to a second successive World Cup victory.

Van Geffen knows that the crowds in London will have more of a red, white and blue hue but that doesn’t bother the defender turned midfielder.

“The big crowds are great. It is always cool to play the host nation - that is awesome. I am hoping they will cheer a little for us. Also it is close by so our parents, friends and family will help turn some of London orange.”

Margot and her Netherlands team face China, Italy and Korea in the Pool stages, with their opening match scheduled for Sunday 22 July where they will face Korea at 17:00.

#HWC2018

FIH site



EHL KO16 schedule for Friday, March 30 adjusted


©: Frank Uijlenbroek/world Sport Pics

The EHL KO16 matches on Friday, March 30 at HC Rotterdam will now take place 30 minutes later than originally scheduled.

The change is has been made for broadcast reasons in conjunction with our Belgian partners, Eleven Sports.

The change has a knock-on effect on the marquee battle between SV Kampong – champions in 2016 – and current holders Rot-Weiss Köln will be played at 20.00h. It promises to be a classic battle with the two clubs meeting for a third successive year in the KO16 with the winner in the last two years going on to win the Alain Danet Trophy.

Real Club de Polo and England’s Holcombe will now face off at 13.15h CET in their battle to reach the KO8.

Saturday, March 31’s schedule and the KO8 phase of the competition currently remain as originally scheduled with a series of mouth-watering games on the agenda.

The Rotterdam hosts face German champions Mannheimer HC at 16.00h CET while EHL royalty KHC Dragons and HC Bloemendaal meet that evening at 18.15h CET.

EHL 2017-2018 KO16 and KO8 match schedule
30 March-2 April 2018 at HC Rotterdam, Rotterdam (NED)

Friday 30 March
M1 13.15h KO16: Holcombe HC vs Real Club de Polo
M2 15.30h KO16: Royal Herakles HC vs Atlètic Terrassa HC
M3 17.45h KO16: Royal Racing Club de Bruxelles vs Dinamo Kazan
M4 20.00h KO16: SV Kampong vs KTHC Rot Weiss Köln

Saturday 31 March
M5 11.30h KO16: Saint Germain HC vs Three Rock Rovers
M6 13.45h KO16: RC de France vs HTC Uhlenhorst Mülheim
M7 16.00h KO16: HC Rotterdam vs Mannheimer HC
M8 18.15h KO16: KHC Dragons vs HC Bloemendaal

Sunday 1 April
M9 10.30h KO8 ranking match – Loser M1 vs Loser M2
M10 12.45h KO8 ranking match – Loser M4 vs Loser M3
M11 15.00h KO8: Winner M4 vs Winner M3
M12 17.15h KO8: Winner M1 vs Winner M2

Monday 2 April
M13 09.15h KO8 ranking match – Loser M8 vs Loser M5
M14 11.30h KO8 ranking match – Loser M6 vs Loser M7
M15 13.45h KO8: Winner M8 vs Winner M5
M16 16.00h KO8: Winner M6 vs Winner M7

Note: Match times and schedule subject to change due to the requirements of television or other factors as determined by EHL.

Euro Hockey League media release



MWHL: UniTen looking for double strike

KUALA LUMPUR: PKS-UniTen-KPT wil be gunning for a double on Friday, when they face Blue Warriors in the Vivian May Soars Cup.

UniTen had won the Malaysia Hockey League (MHL) League title earlier, and coach Lailin Abu Hassan said they are ready for their second title.

However, Lailin knows it will not be easy as both the teams ended their League campaign on 30 points, and UniTen only grabbed the League title on goals' scored.

Both the teams also drew 1-1 and then 2-2 in the two-leg League, indicating that the final will be an explosive one.

"Yes, we did set a target of winning two titles this season. We have achieved one, and I have told my players to double their efforts to claim the other title as well," said Lailin, a former national player.

"Blue Warriors have a never-say-die attitude which I witnessed in their semi-finals (against Terengganu Ladies Hockey Team)."

In the semis, Blue Warriots beat THT 1-0, while UniTen hammered KL Wipers 11-2.

"I have spoken to my players to keep their feet on the ground, and forget about the big semi-finals win. This is because in a final, the team with desire and not history wins the title."

FRIDAY: Vivian May Soars Cup Final -- PKS Uniten-KPT v Blue Warriors (National Stadium, Pitch II 6.30pm).

Third-Fourth: KL Wipers v TLHT (National Stadium, Pitch II 4pm).

Jugjet's World of Field Hockey



Blue Warriors’ Ritu out to end Uniten’s unbeaten run and lift Cup


Powerful: Narinder Kaur (right) is one of the three former Indian players in Blue Warriors team. — M. AZHAR ARIF / The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: Former Indian captain Ritu Rani enjoys playing hockey for Blue Warriors in the Malaysian Women’s League as there is no competitive hockey league for women in India.

Ritu, who has represented India 244 times in the last 11 years, said the Malaysian Hockey Confede­ration (MHF) should be congratulated for introducing the women’s league in 2015.

“In India a lot of money is invested for the men’s Hockey India League (HIL), which is the richest league in the world. Top players from all over the world have played in the HIL.

“But sadly no women’s league was ever introduced in India although there are many talented and potential players in my country,” said the 26-year-old Haryana woman.

Ritu wants her Blue Warriors, who have qualified for their third consecutive final, to win the Vivian May Soars Cup.

They face league champions PKS Universiti Tenaga Nasional (Uniten)-KPT today at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil.

The Star of Malaysia



Lynch: More To The Hockeyroos Than Meets The Eye

Ben Somerford



It’s fitting that goalkeeper Rachael Lynch is one of the most capped current Hockeyroos as she’s a person who wears many hats. But she’s not alone among the squad.

Lynch, 31, may be an Olympian but she’s also a nurse at Fiona Stanley Hospital in Perth, is about to launch her own goalkeeper coaching business and is heavily involved with charity ‘R U OK?’ It’s a busy life but one which Lynch says gets the best out of her.

“It gives you great perspective, so when you turn up to training and games you’re more aware and not putting all your eggs in one basket,” Lynch says. “With selection, I’ve seen it really makes a difference.”

Originally from Warrandyte in Melbourne’s north east, Lynch first played for Australia in 2006 but only made her Olympics debut in Rio in 2016 having missed out on the previous two games. She says those two Olympic years were when she didn’t get the balance right, reiterating to her how important outside influences are to achieving performance.

“The two Olympic years when we were told not to work, they were my two worst years of my career, because I didn’t want to think about hockey all day,” Lynch reflects.

“I like to go home and think about other people and other things, because it’s stressful what we do and it’s nice to be able to switch off.

“It’s not for everyone. If you get the balance wrong, you turn up for training fatigued, tired or drained, so it’s about getting that right and that’s different for everyone.

“It’s something I’ve always been passionate about it. If you’ve got other stuff going on, it doesn’t put as much pressure on the hockey.”



Lynch initially worked full-time in nursing when she first relocated from Melbourne to Perth, but slowly reduced the workload down from 10 days per fortnight to seven, five, three and now two. She’s passionate about all her endeavours outside hockey.

“I absolutely love it. I look forward to going,” Lynch says about her work at Fiona Stanley Hospital.

“I’ve got a good crew who I work with there. My boss is amazing. She’s very understanding and she’s the only reason I’ve got a job. They accommodate my every changing schedule and all the trips away.

“I love doing a bit of charity work. The R U OK? stuff is something I really love. It’s not a job but rather something I do when I can.

“I do a bit of goalkeeper coaching too and I love it. There’s not enough goalie coaches around.

“A lot of kids don’t have a coach or they don’t feel a part of the team. The lack of coaching and support means a lot of goalies won’t keep doing it, as it’s not fun. I had a lot of support coming through and I want to try to give that back to them.”

Lynch, who is one of the senior members of the current squad, admits she’s lucky to have found her passions in life, but says the environment within the Hockeyroos set-up encourages and enables it.

“It’s very personal. If you want to do other things, you’ve got to have that motivation first,” Lynch says.

“It might seem easier to just do hockey but if you’re in this for 10 years you’re going to get down the track and realise your resume is empty.

“That’s my biggest thing, it’s fine to come over for a year and enjoy yourself, go for coffees, watch Netflix and all that but it’s not sustainable. It’s not a good idea long term.



“It’s about encouraging people to try things, whether it’s a volunteer shift once a week or once a fortnight or trying to get a job, a few shifts, or studying.

“There’s people to guide them. When you first come over you don’t know. It’s a bit of trial and error.

“The biggest thing from our programme is we support people trying it. If we’re discouraging, people won’t do anything else, because it’s easier not to.”

Lynch has been in outstanding form in recent months and looms as a key figure ahead of the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast, where the side will aim for a fourth straight gold medal and she’ll be chasing her third after glory in Delhi 2010 and Glasgow 2014.

“I feel like I’m in a good place,” she says. “It takes a long time and a bit of experience. In our position it’s about being relaxed and trusting yourself.

“If you’re tense and wound up you can’t do your job. I need to get myself in a place where I’m nice and calm and happy, that’s where I play my best hockey.”

She insists, she’s not alone with this approach: “There’s more to our group than just the hockey player you see.

“There’s a lot of misconceptions around elite athletes, not necessarily in a bad way, but we go and do a lot of other things in the community and work hard to not only earn a living but also to help us perform on the field to achieve our goals.”



Hockey Australia media release

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