Dhanraj, Mukesh will be considered; others have no chance — Gill

Excerpts from the interview:

Q: People don’t change winning teams. But after the Bangkok Asian Games, we dropped six of our players who are the best in the country today. Was there any rationale behind it?

A: It’s the same team that finished 7/8th in the Olympics. We didn’t even have a great finish in the World Cup at Utrecht. The Asian Games gold medal came against weak opposition. South Korea was the only strong team we faced in the final. And we won that on strokes. Fine, we had a great win after 32 years. But it’s time to rebuild. Most of these players cannot last a full match. And let me say this that even Germany,Holland, Korea are all in the rebuilding stage. Germany couldn’t qualify for the last Champions Trophy. I would also stress that six or eight players don’t make a team. The team makes a team. A team that is committed and fit to last a match.

Q: We beat Korea twice in the Asian Games. The same team with four players retired from the Asian Games squad finished runners-up in the just concluded Champions Trophy at Brisbane?

A: Fine. I still think the Asian Games was a gold medal India was capable of winning anyway. But as far as these six players are concerned, I have always wanted to drop them. But I didn’t want a Utrecht World Cup situation where your two key players are injured and the team comes to a standstill. That’s why I am preparing three teams and who so ever is fit from this vast base that we are tapping will play in the Olympics.

Q: Apart from the players being chopped and changed, we don’t even have a policy of continuity with our coaches?

A: Coaches are changed after one matchin World Cup football. And you ask me why I don’t keep coaches for a longer period. As far as Harcharan Singh is concerned, we got a letter from the Army Headquarters that he was needed in Kargil so we appointed Baskaran. We assess our coaches and who ever I think is fit to carry on, will coach the side. Continuity will not work in our country. Kaushik was the coach for the Bangkok Asian Games but how many people know what happened there. I don’t want to sit here and criticise people but in one incident the police had to be brought because the team was fighting among themselves. I want a coach who is steady and is committed. At the drop of a hat, our coaches makes learned statements. They go and say whatever they want on their own. My policy is simple for the team. I want a team that is physically fit and willing to last a full match.

Q: Rajiv Mishra was the biggest find in years. But after the junior World Cup he had an injury and is still out of the circuit. Why doesn’t the IHF send him to a specialistand save the career of such a talented player?

A: We had told him not to play after his operation. But he went against our advice and played a local tournament. But let him come to me. Atleast, the IHF should know that he wants to start playing again. We should know that he wants advanced treatment. I will see that he gets the best doctors abroad. Or do you want that I should go and bring him to Delhi and ask what is wrong with him.

Q: Do you think the super six’ will come back for the Olympics?

A: Let me make this very clear. Nobody can ever force me to select a team that I don’t believe in. Nobody can do that. As far as the super six are concerned, I think we should reduce it to the super two. Sabu Varkey, AB Subbiah, Sandeep Somesh and Ashish Ballal will definitely not come back into the team. And as for Dhanraj Pillay and Mukesh Kumar, it just depends on their fitness. They have enough skills and experience. They don’t need to tour abroad. But with two-three months left for the Olympics,if the IHF finds that these two are fit to last a match, they will play the 2000 Olympics.