A disjointed unit, needs motivation

I know from personal experience how difficult the Indian players find these minor-position playoffs. Motivation for such matches is gone once teams have failed to put up a good show in the preliminary league, more so when your defence had been toyed with. But these playoffs for minor positions are games that teams must play. It is such situations that test the ability of team officials to motivate the boys to go out and give their best. Playing for the ninth to 12th spots, India still has a task at hand. They must try and avert the last position, which in 1986 turned out to be the biggest letdown for us.

As for India8217;s match against Holland, the Indian defence was virtually swept off its feet by the destructive Dutch raids. The Indians obviously could not have prepared for such an onslaught, but this scoreline is a big blow to India8217;s reputation.

It was not just the number of goals that India conceded, but the fact that Dutch goalkeeper did not have to work up a sweat that should have worried the Indian teammanagement. Even as India were conceding frequent goals, there were hardly any goal-bearing moves at the other end.

Sadly, our forwards have not done much here.

8211;Pargat Singh