Opinion Wanted: Men to guard goal
Reliable For someone who was unceremoniously dumped out of the national team two years ago,Adrian D'Souza proved more than a point
Reliable For someone who was unceremoniously dumped out of the national team two years ago,Adrian D’Souza proved more than a point when he was named the ‘best goalkeeper’ at the recently-concluded hockey Nationals. The 29-year-old rolled back the years while playing for Air India,the team which conceded the least number of goals in the tournament.
Another goalkeeper who caught the eye was Baljit Singh. It was a freak accident at the national camp in 2009 that resulted in Baljit losing vision in one eye. Subsequently,the injury healed but Hockey India was reluctant to consider him for the top job. Pleasantly surprising many on the hockey circuit,the Punjab custodian displayed sharp reflexes and agility during the tournament.
The discarded goalkeeper,Baljit and D’Souza,were the rare reassuring presence under the bar in a tournament that saw teams,at an average,conceded eight goals per match. The Pune Nationals while exposing the empty goalkeeping cupboard also pointed to India’s over-reliance on the main team custodian P R Sreejesh. Barring young Sushant Tirkey,no new face has emerged in the last few years who can push Sreejesh for a place in Team India.
Experts say goalkeeping has been an area India hasnt really focused on in recent times.While methodically grooming the defenders,an area that has been India’s weak link for close to a decade, the man under the bar has been neglected. India did have goalkeeping coaches in the past,but no such specialist happens to be part of India’s support staff at present.
Hockey India technical director Roelant Oltmans is planning to bring around a dozen ‘keepers from the country together and get a specialist from abroad,preferably Holland a country with great goalkeeping pedigree for a crash course. But talent-hunting takes time. With the World Cup just around the corner,India can only keep their fingers crossed that form and fitness doesn’t desert their goalkeeper No.1 Sreejesh.
Mihir is a senior correspondent based in Mumbai
mihir.vasavda@expressindia.com
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