‘No sweeping changes, the difference is in the detail’

Oltmans has the pedigree; he coached the Dutch team that won at the Atlanta Games in 1996. And he brings in his occidental professionalism: having brought along his own video analyser, an Italian, he’s planning to bring a trainer as well from Holland. Pakistan already have on their rolls a Dutch phsyiotherapist, who’s been with them for more than a year.

It’s a team integral to Oltmans’s plans. ‘‘My video analyser, Roberto Tolentino, is so important for me that I wouldn’t have accepted the Pakistani offer if he wasn’t part of the deal’’, Oltmans told The Indian Express. ‘‘The coach needs to get every detail, the minutest inputs, from the video analsyer and then only can he give the right guidance to the players. Tolentino has been with me for many years and he is the right man to help Pakistan.’’

A lesson here for India, whose national team still doesn’t have a video analyser travelling with them for tournaments.

So how can he change the state of hockey in Pakistan? ‘‘I am not going to change Pakistan’s style, I’ve told that to people in Pakistan also. Both have the best attacks but they need to bring minor adaptations into their game which plays a crucial role today’’, said Oltmans.

The first priority will be for his players to learn to play to the style of each opponent and make modifications in tactics according to the situation. ‘‘I have come to Pakistan to tell the players about absorbing certain aspects of the game which are needed today to be ranked among the best teams,’’ he said.

In the last few years, India and Pakistan can finally boast of producing top-class players in penalty-corners and goalkeeping. Oltmans mentioned the performance of Indian goalkeeper Devesh Chauhan and drag-flickers Jugraj Singh and his replacement Len Ayyappa after the injury. Similarly, Pakistan had won many matches due to their drag-flicker Sohail Abbas.

‘‘These two are the crucial areas in hockey today and it’s no surprise that with good players in these position, the game is being revived in the subcontinent.’’