Udham Singh an the inside-left without peer

Chennai, March 24: Hockey is such a game that the public usually remembers only the goal-scorers and not the schemers who actually make it all happen. It is a thankless task to do the spadework while someone else gets the glory.

A disciplinarian, Udham believed commitment and dedication were the foundation stones for success. During his tenure as coach of the National team, as well as those of Punjab Police and Border Security Force, Udham never compromised on discipline.

Old timers believe that, had the Indian Hockey Federation backed Udham as the coach of the infamous 1968 Olympic team instead of Balkishen Singh, the problem of two captains Prithipal Singh and Gurbux Singh would not have arisen.