Welcome to the Fieldhockey.com Archives

All the news for Saturday 9 June 2018

Hockey Series Open - Salamanca 2018 (Men) - Day 4
Salamanca (MEX)

Result 8 June

PAN v CRC (RR)     2 - 0

Table

Hockey Series Open - Salamanca 2018 (Women) - Day 4
Salamanca (MEX)

Result 8 June

PAN v GUA (RR)     0 - 0

Table

FIH Match Centre

We have the calibre to win Champions Trophy: PR Sreejesh

BENGALURU: Indian men's hockey team had a forgettable Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia earlier this year where they failed to win a medal after finishing fourth in the standings. Following that debacle, Hockey India (HI) immediately replaced the chief coach of the team, appointing Harendra Singh while Dutch Sjoerd Marijne returned to take charge of the women's team.

Their next assignment is the Hockey Men's Champions Trophy in Netherlands which starts from June 23. Captain and goalkeeper PR Sreejesh is positive of India's chances at the event saying the team is working on papering over the cracks and should they click as a unit they have in it them to go all the way and return home with gold medal. They are currently slugging it out in at the Sports Authority of India's Bengaluru Campus.

The Indian team's inefficiency in converting field goals despite improved circle penetrations have been a concern. Sreejesh reveals that the team is paying special attention in this area over the past two weeks at the camp. "We have paid a lot of attention to the positioning of forwards in the striking circle, Sreejesh said. "Coach has not just drawn out the position chart for the strikers and explained in theory, but has also walked them through the positioning to ensure they don't repeat the mistakes made at 2018 CWG because of which we missed out on scoring critical goals. Front-line defence is also one of the key areas we have paid extra attention to."

After the 18-member national squad was announced last week, the Indian team under chief coach Harendra has upped the ante knowing well that the Champions Trophy in Netherlands, with world's top teams including Olympic Champions Argentina, defending World Champions Australia, world no.3 Belgium, hosts Netherlands and Pakistan in fray for the title, offers the right platform to test themselves ahead of the World Cup in Bhubaneswar later this year.

At the camp in Bengaluru, the focus has remained on maintaining the right structure with emphasis on team's on-field communication, following basics to keep ball possession, front-line defence, counter control and penalty corner defending.

With just ten days remaining before the team leaves for the Netherlands on 18 June, Sreejesh placed his full confidence in the squad saying they can win the tournament. "We have a good team balance with experience and youth. Our preparations have been earnest and the team certainly has the calibre to finish on top provided we play our A-game and not make silly mistakes and lose out on scoring opportunities. This is the best chance to see where we stand against top teams in the world before the World Cup and we need to make this opportunity count," the 30-year-old said.

Vice-captain Chinglensana Singh said the team has gotten over their forgettable performance at the CWG. "The team has moved on from the poor performance at the Commonwealth Games," Chinglensana said. "At this camp, one of the main focus is on team's on-field communication and re-instilling the team's belief that we have it in us to go for the gold. Our psychology sessions have been critical in making us believe in the team goal and chief coach has prepared a 20-point agenda which we read every day ahead of training sessions to remind ourselves of our aim ahead of the tournament," he said.

India begin their Champions Trophy campaign against arch-rivals Pakistan on June 23.

The Times of India

Ockenden & Zalewski Appointed Interim Kookaburras Co-Captains

Ben Somerford



Hockey Australia today confirms Eddie Ockenden and Aran Zalewski have been appointed as Kookaburras’ co-captions for the upcoming 2018 Champions Trophy in Breda, the Netherlands.

The Kookaburras’ captaincy role is vacant after the retirement of Mark Knowles following Australia’s triumphant 2018 Commonwealth Games campaign.

Kookaburras coach Colin Batch said the co-captaincy would be temporarily used, with a view to a permanent single appointment for the 2018 World Cup in India in November and December.

“We’ve had a great captain in Mark and while we’ve used some players in interim leadership roles, it’s different as the permanent captain,” Batch said.

“We want to trial the two guys and get a better feel of how they’ll handle the captaincy. We want them to be their own person, perform and play as well as they can while being the leader.”

Ockenden and Zalewski will alternate as captain each game during the Champions Trophy and September’s Darwin International Hockey Open.

Tasmanian Ockenden, 31, is currently the fourth most capped Kookaburras’ player with 319 appearances and 68 goals, having debuted in 2006.

He is a three-time Commonwealth Games gold medal winner and two-time Olympic bronze medal winner.

Zalewski, who hails from Margaret River in WA’s South-West, is set to bring up his 150th cap for Australia during the Champions Trophy, currently sitting on 144 caps.

The midfielder debuted in 2011 and is a two-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist and was part of the 2016 Rio Olympics side.

Batch said the pair were the standout options for the full-time captaincy.

“Eddie is a very experienced player and has had experience as a co-captain before,” Batch said.

“He’s got a new challenge in front of him, playing as a defender which I think has given him a new lease of life and he seems to be relishing that role.

“Aran is tactically really smart with a key role in the middle of the pitch.

“He’s a real driver in the way we train and the way we’re developing as a team. He has great credentials in the leadership capacity as well.”

The 2018 Champions Trophy runs from 23 June to 1 July with Australia’s first match against Belgium from 2am AEST on Sunday 24 June.

The world number one Kookaburras, who are 14-time Champions Trophy winners and defending champions, will come up against the Netherlands (ranked fourth), Argentina (2016 Olympic gold medallists and ranked second), Belgium (ranked third), India (ranked sixth) and Pakistan (ranked 13th).

For regular updates, follow @Kookaburras on Twitter.

Champions Trophy Match Schedule (all times AEST):
Sunday 24 June 2am – Australia vs Belgium
Monday 25 June 12am - Australia vs Pakistan
Wednesday 27 June 11pm – Australia vs India
Friday 29 June 3:30am - Australia vs Netherlands
Saturday 30 June 9:45pm - Australia vs Argentina
Sunday 1 July TBC - Finals

Kookaburras team for Champions Trophy:
Athlete (City, State)
Daniel Beale (Brisbane, QLD)
Timothy Brand (Chatswood, NSW)
Tom Craig (Lane Cove, NSW)
Johan Durst (Melbourne, VIC)
Jeremy Edwards (Hobart, TAS)
Blake Govers (Wollongong, NSW)
Jake Harvie (Dardanup, WA)
Jeremy Hayward (Darwin, NT)
Tim Howard (Wakerley, QLD)
Aaron Kleinschmidt (Melbourne, VIC)
Tyler Lovell (Perth, WA)
Trent Mitton (Perth, WA)
Eddie Ockenden (Hobart, TAS) (cc)
Flynn Ogilvie (Wollongong, NSW)
Lachlan Sharp (Lithgow, NSW)
Matthew Swann (Mackay, QLD)
Jacob Whetton (Brisbane, QLD)
Aran Zalewski (Margaret River, WA) (cc)

Hockey Australia media release

Eddie Ockenden steps up to co-lead in Australia hockey’s new era

By The Hockey Paper


Australia have appointed co-captains for now (PIC: Hockey Australia)

Eddie Ockenden moved a step closer towards becoming Australia’s national captain after he was appointed co-leader for the upcoming 2018 Champions Trophy in the Netherlands.

With the Kookaburras’ captaincy role vacant, Ockenden has been widely tipped to succeed Mark Knowles following his retirement after Australia’s gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

Ockenden will share captaincy duties with Aran Zalewski for the Champions Trophy campaign, while Kookaburras coach Colin Batch said the co-captaincy would be temporary, with a view to a permanent single appointment for the 2018 World Cup in India in November and December.

“We’ve had a great captain in Mark and while we’ve used some players in interim leadership roles, it’s different as the permanent captain,” Batch said.

“We want to trial the two guys and get a better feel of how they’ll handle the captaincy. We want them to be their own person, perform and play as well as they can while being the leader.”

Ockenden and Zalewski will alternate as captain each game during the Champions Trophy and September’s Darwin International Hockey Open.

Tasmanian Ockenden, 31, is currently the fourth most capped Kookaburras’ player with 319 appearances and 68 goals, having debuted in 2006.

He is a three-time Commonwealth Games gold medal winner and two-time Olympic bronze medal winner, heading into his fourth Olympic campaign.

Zalewski is set to bring up his 150th cap for Australia during the Champions Trophy, currently sitting on 144 caps.

The Kookaburras, the defending champions, will come up against the Netherlands (ranked fourth), Argentina (2016 Olympic gold medallists and ranked second), Belgium (ranked third), India (ranked sixth) and Pakistan (ranked 13th).

The Hockey Paper

German hockey idol Moritz Furste is true legend, says Barry Middleton

By Rod Gilmour


Moritz Furste

From one midfielder to another, England’s Barry Middleton has heaped praise on Moritz Furste by admitting that the retiring German is “one of the best players of his generation”.

Furste, 33, played his last home match for childhood club UHC Hamburg last weekend as he bade farewell to the club game after retiring from international hockey at Rio 2016.

Middleton, still going strong at 34, came up against the idol of Hamburg plenty of times, either in an England, Great Britain or Hockey India League shirt.

“He was bigger than just what he could do with a ball on a pitch,” the former England captain told The Hockey Paper.

“He had an aura about him that gave people around him belief and confidence in the team he was playing in.

“He was also someone who played to entertain and get the crowd involved in a game, he was always the one to get the crowd going when playing in India.”

At the 2015 HIL auction, Furste, the 2012 world player of the year, was purchased by Kalinga Lancers for US$105,000, from an original base price of US$30,000 to become the costliest HIL player.

Kalinga certainly knew the player’s value. He won Olympic gold in 2008 and 2012, ending with a bronze at Rio 2016.

The latter medal included Furste having a hand in the sensational quarter-final when Germany came from two goals down with 46 seconds left on the clock against New Zealand to win 3-2.

In all, he made close to 300 international appearances and also won three World Cup titles, indoor and out, as well as the 2011 EuroHockey title.

His final home game for UHC Hamburg finished in a disappointing 4-3 defeat to HTHC in the German Bundesliga, but, says Middleton, the result would not have lingered for long.

“He lives the values of what hockey has always been about, competition mixed with the social side,” he added.

“Everyone who played with or against him only has good things to say about him and most have had a good night out with him along the way. A true legend.”

The Hockey Paper

German FINAL FOUR a carbon copy of 2017 match-ups


©: Frank Uijlenbroek/world Sport Pics

The German FINAL FOUR will be a carbon-copy line-up of 2017 this weekend with Rot-Weiss Koln against Harvestehuder THC and Uhlenhorst Mulheim versus Mannheimer providing the semi-final pairings.

Rot-Weiss topped the regular season campaign and go into their tie as favourites but know that HTHC can cause them plenty of problems when they meet in Krefeld.

"I do not need anyone to warn us about the HTHC," said Cologne coach André Henning. "We've played against them too often and it was always close.

“Nevertheless, we accept the role of favourites. We are used to that too. I also think that we have more players, in terms of individual quality, who can decide a FINAL FOUR match.

“Still, you have to put in a good team performance to be successful. And so we have been on a really good run in the last few games, fine tuning to be able to bring our top performance to the season's peak.”

They have seen some of their injured stars return to action, too, with Timur Oruz the latest to rejoin the camp in the Bundesliga in recent weeks.

For Harvestehuder, international goalkeeper Tobias Walter will say his farewells for two years – signing terms with Dragons in Belgium – at the event.

"We have lost a couple of narrow semi-finals against Cologne. Now we're just going to go for it!" Walter said ahead of the game.

They have won 13 points from their last five league games to show they are in great form.

“This shows that we have a true team structure. Cologne is clearly superior to us individually but if we can quickly get into the match and make it balanced for a long time, the chance of winning a final place increases more and more."

Both teams have long-term injuries with Hendrik Schwarzer and Florian Adrians (Rot-Weiss Köln) and as well as Richard Dawson-Smith (HTHC).

The second semi-final on Saturday is likely to go down to the wire.

"Of the games of recent years, we once won a match narrowly but there have been six or seven draws," recalls Mannheim coach Michael McCann. The 2017 semi was decided on a shoot-out while their meeting in mid-April was also a 1-1 tie.

Mulheim have regularly had a higher possession percentage in such games but Mannheim have proven the more efficent in the circles, something which Omar Schlingemann says will be a key factor.

“Mannheim are extremely dangerous for all teams. They do not have many chances but they are ice cold in the circle,” the coach said. “Last year in the semi-finals, we had a lot of bad luck, hitting the post twice. I think it will be a nice match for the fans!"

Euro Hockey League media release

Fulton’s departure mars Irish hockey World Cup preparations

Frustrated coach’s Belgian move could not have come at a worse time for the team

Johnny Watterson


Ireland head coach Craig Fulton “is going to be a hard act to follow”. Photograph: Gary Carr/Inpho

The Irish men’s hockey team lost Craig Fulton, voted the best hockey coach in the world last year, because Ireland could not provide a full-time programme for his Irish players.

A frustrated Fulton announced last week that he was leaving to take up a position with Belgium, just months before Ireland compete in the World Cup in India in December.

His departure sends Ireland’s preparations into crisis. Just six months from the finals, it can hardly have arrived at a worse time for the team, who had greatly improved over the four years Fulton was in charge.

The South African led Ireland to the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, the first time an Irish team had qualified for an Olympics since 1948. He also coached Ireland into the top 10 countries in the world for the first time and won a bronze medal in the European Championship with Ireland for the first time.

“It was a big surprise for us,” said Hockey Ireland chief executive Jerome Pels. “There was a contract until after Tokyo [Olympic Games]. But there was always a way for both sides to break that. That’s the way it was set up.

“What he told us is that an opportunity came along for him and I think what he explained was the Belgium role would suit him more because of the long-term future for him. He also saw it as an opportunity to be involved with a full-time programme, which was in a way his dream.”

Depressing

Fulton, who is married with two children, competed with South Africa in the 1996 and 2004 Olympics and was made head coach of Ireland in 2014.

It hits all the harder because Fulton follows on from the sudden departure of Paul Revington in 2012, who coached Ireland to within seconds of qualifying for London 2012. The defection has highlighted a depressing inability for the sport to hold on to major talent.

“I think his ambitions were great,” said Pels. “At the moment within the Irish set-up we couldn’t actually give what he wanted without having the availability of his players full time. I can understand that and saw the frustration for him ... not being able to coach on a weekly basis.”

Ireland have invited bids for a replacement and hope to have a quick solution in place by the end of the month, although they are not holding their breaths.

Whatever the outcome the team has been considerably disadvantaged, leaving a team of elite players in a system that has again let them down.

“It is going to be a hard act to follow,” said Pels. “We have an invitation for bids. We have set a date in two weeks’ time, where we want to see who has applied. We want to see what is possible and might have to do a short-term solution depending on what the response is.”

The Irish Times

Scots announced in GB EDP squad for upcoming matches


Photo by Dave Reid

Six Scottish players have been selected for the GB Elite Development Programme ( GB EDP ) Under 23 squad for upcoming matches against the Netherlands and Germany.

Millie Brown, Amy Costello, Sarah Jamieson and Charlotte Watson, who all have recently returned from the Gold Coast where they played in the Commonwealth Games 2018, have been selected for the GB EDP matches this weekend against the Netherlands – 8-10 June at Hoorn Hockey Club.

Later this month will see matches played against Germany in Ludwigsburg on 26th June  –  1st July. The squad saw four Scottish players get selected to represent the GB EDP; Millie Brown, Amy Costello, Lorna Cruickshank and Laura Swanson.

The GB EDP was launched as part of a strategic objective during the Tokyo 2020 cycle with the aim of developing medal winning Olympians of the future, with the selected athletes having shown their potential to achieve during a comprehensive selection process.


Photo by Dave Reid

The GB EDP will also see a revised coaching structure with world-class coaches leading the activity as well as spending time engaging and supporting the domestic and university game.

While the GB EDP is not age categorised, it has been designed for players aged between 19-23. There is strong representation from Scotland in the 18 that have been picked ahead of the matches.


Photo by John Preece

Scottish Hockey Union media release

Former GB President Richard Leman named in Queen's Birthday Honours List


Richard Leman

Great Britain Hockey is delighted to announce that two-time Olympic medallist Richard Leman has been named in the 2018 Queen’s Birthday Honours List.

Richard has been awarded an OBE thanks to the outstanding service he has given to hockey in Great Britain at a local, national and international level.

As an athlete Richard was part of the team that won gold at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, which was the nation’s first in the sport at that level since 1948. That came four years after he won a bronze at the previous Games, while he also picked up World and European medals in between.

He then became the Great Britain Hockey President, overseeing one of our most successful periods, while has also been an integral member of East Grinstead Hockey Club.

Richard said: “I am very excited and I am very pleased to have been awarded this. I have thoroughly enjoyed all the volunteering I have done in hockey and it has been a great pleasure to have worked with so many great people.

“I am a great believer in teamwork and it is a nice recognition personally for all those great people I have worked with and for the sport in general.”

It is now 30 years since Richard and the team won that infamous gold medal, one that had a huge impact and influence on the nation and they were subsequently named the Sports Personality Team of the Year in 1988. 

At the 1990 World Cup Richard played his 106th England match, becoming the country’s most capped player in the process. He also represented Great Britain 70 times and won 40 further caps for England in indoor internationals. After that tournament Richard retired having amassed a record 228 international appearances. As well as his two Olympic medals, he also won a 1986 World Cup silver and a European bronze the following year.

Following the end of his playing career Richard remained involved with East Grinstead Hockey Club and was the club’s Charity Chairman from 2003 to 2010 and continues to take an active part in the charity as a trustee.

Richard also became involved in hockey administration at a national level, selflessly giving ten years of time as Great Britain Hockey President and an England Hockey Board member between 2007-2017. During his tenure Great Britain achieved their first Olympic medals in 20 years and the first ever women’s Olympic gold at Rio 2016. Richard’s leadership of GB has transformed the relationships between the three Home Nations and will leave a lasting legacy.

He has also gone onto represent hockey at the National Olympic Committee and was elected by his sporting peers to become a board member of the BOA, serving in that role for 10 years.

England Hockey Board Media release

Seoul Olympian Richard Leman awarded OBE for services to hockey

By The Hockey Paper



Olympian Richard Leman told of his pride last night after he was named in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list.

Leman, who won gold with Great Britain at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, has been awarded an OBE thanks to his services to hockey over a distinguished career on and off the pitch.

Leman, 58, said: “I am very excited and I am very pleased to have been awarded this. I have thoroughly enjoyed all the volunteering I have done in hockey and it has been a great pleasure to have worked with so many great people.

“I am a great believer in teamwork and it is a nice recognition personally for all those great people I have worked with and for the sport in general.”

Leman’s award means that four playing members from the 1988 team – which celebrates its 30th anniversary on October 1 – have now been honoured.

Captain Richard Dodds, along with the late Roger Self, has campaigned for years to get recognition for the other members of the squad.



So far, only Dodds (OBE) and Sean Kerly and Stephen Martin (MBEs) have been awarded honours.

The remaining 12 Olympians have yet to receive any such recognition.

After a bronze at the 1984 Games and gold four years later, Leman, a stalwart of East Grinstead HC, became GB Hockey president and served on the British Olympic Association board for a decade.

He recorded 228 international caps for England and GB.

Leman was honoured alongside other sporting greats, including Sir Kenny Daglish, boxer Anthony Joshua and Olympic skeleton racer Lizzie Yarnold.

The Hockey Paper

Nirpal (Rodu) Singh Bharaj (1958 – 2018)

by Dil Bahra


Rodu Bharaj doing what he enjoyed most – Koroga for his friends

Nirpal Singh Bharaj, fondly known as Rodu, a hockey personality both in Kenya and London died suddenly on Friday, May 25. He had just turned 60.

His funeral will take place at City of London Cemetery and Crematorium,  Aldersbrook Road, Manor Park,  London E12 5DQ  on Sunday 10 June 2018 at 1300 hrs.

Rodu was born on 14 February 1958 in Kampala, Uganda.  He grew up in Nairobi, Kenya.  His family moved to Eldoret in December 1964 and Rodu studied at Uasin Gishu Primary School, Eldoret.

In December 1969 the family moved back to Nairobi and Rodu studied at Parklands Goan Primary School and Nairobi School. He played hockey for his school teams. He also played for Sikh Union Nairobi Tigers team whilst in Nairobi.

In November 1975 the family emigrated to the UK. He played for Ford Hockey Club in East London, Slough and Old Loughts H C.

A knee injury forced him to retire from playing hockey. He then took up golf instead and was a member at Woolston Manor Golf Club in Chigwell, Essex.

Surjit Singh Rihal, former Kenya Captain (1973 – 1981) and Olympian said “Rodu was my ex-student at Nairobi School who had developed an interest and love with hockey at an early age. This is shown by him going to so many Olympic Games and World Cup tournaments to watch the hockey matches. He loved to discuss new players and team performances.  A wonderful cook and host. Will always remember him for the party he hosted for about 10 Olympians and World Cup players at his house just about a month before he passed away. May Wahe Guru give peace to his soul and strength to his family to overcome this difficult time.”


Amarjeet Marwa; Rodu Bharaj; Surjeet Panesar; Surjeet Panesar; Surjit Rihal; Harvinder Marwa; Davinder Deegan and Daljit Bharaj during a hockey get together in April 2018.

Surjeet Singh Panesar (Jr) (Sindh), Kenya’s 4 time Olympian said “ Rodu was my greatest nephew. He loved everybody from his heart. He only gave love and help to everyone without any expectation in return. Rodu made the effort to gather my old friends (about 10 Olympians & World Cup players) at his house when l was recently in the UK. Shocking news that he has left us so soon after that. May Wahe Guru give peace to his soul and strength to his family for this loss.”

Avtar Singh Sohal, former Kenya Captain (1962 - 1972) and four times Olympian said “We will miss him dearly. We watched hockey together in Rio de Janeiro during the Olympic Games in 2016. Nirpal was a truly remarkable sportsman who radiated warmth and happiness where ever he went. He recently donated generously towards the Sikh Union Nairobi turf pitch. He was a true hockey supporter.”

Jitender Singh Paneasar, Kenya’s Olympian at Los Angeles Olympics, who was his team mate at Ford’s said “I’ve known Rodu for over 30 years. We played hockey together and have been friends ever since. He was a wonderful, humble friend who supported me over the years, and we always had a laugh together.  My memories of him will always be cherished. He will be missed dearly.”
 
Jujhar Singh Plaha, a keen hockey fan himself, having attended ten Olympic Games and eight World Cups said “Rodu was an ardent hockey fan, often to be seen cheering from the stands at international events. A gregarious and amiable chap, whose company was never dull as he kept friends enthralled, greatly enhanced due to his cheerful demeanour.”
 
To me, Rodu was a good friend and family member.  He was a great supporter of my Sikhs in Hockey website. He was also an excellent contact in relation to Kenya . He had contacts scattered all over East Africa. As Rodu’s father, Parminder Singh (Pito)  and grandfather, Kartar Singh, were both in the Kenyan Police, he was instrumental in obtaining information for my research into the Kenyan Police. Rodu was a contact you could rely on. He attended so many Olympic Games and World Cups and always bought back souvenirs from these travels.

He leaves behind his wife, Jaswinder (Lovely), daughter Harveen, son Gurpreet, son-in law Jagjit and grandson Arjan.
 
Sikhs in Hockey