IndianHockey

Deccan Heralad: WSH players get nod for HI Nationals

WSH players get nod for HI Nationals

Bangalore, August 22, 2012:

The second edition of Hockey India’s national championship for men will be held here from September 23 to October 2 with top players from the across the country set to appear for their respective sides.

A total of 36 teams, including new entrants Border Security Force, will fight it out for supremacy in the 10-day meet that will be held at the hockey stadium and MEG campus. The most interesting part of the Nationals will be the participation of players from the World Series Hockey, considered a ‘rebel’ meet by HI.

However, HI?has decided to allow the players to compete for their respective sides, which was confirmed by Hockey Karnataka secretary AB Subbaiah.

“Yes, WSH players can participate in the National Championships. HI has decided not to ban them. Those players are regulars in other domestic tournaments and they are naturally part of Nationals as well,” he said.

Thirty-six teams have been pitted into eight groups with the winners advancing to the knockout quarterfinals stage.

Petroleum giants IOCL, BPCL and ONGC will be absent for the second successive edition.

Plans are also afoot to stage the knockout matches under lights at the hockey stadium, Subbaiah said.

(Source: stick2hockey.com)

ToI(PTI): Holders Haryana beat Bhopal 2-1 in Hockey Nationals

Holders Haryana beat Bhopal 2-1 in Hockey Nationals

BANGALORE: Defending champions Haryana rallied from a goal deficit to beat Bhopal 2-1 in their opening Group A league game in the 2nd Hockey India National Championship for Senior Men on Sunday.

Didar Singh and Mandeep Antil scored for Haryana in the 20th and 51st minutes after Affan Yousuf had put Bhopal ahead in the 10th minute.

The results: Pool A: Haryana beat Bhopal 2-1; Puducherry beat Maharashtra 7-2.

Pool C: Punjab beat Jammu and Kashmir 12-1; Chattisgarh walked over Arunachal Pradesh.

Pool E: Rajasthan beat Nagaland 6-1. Pool G: Kerala beat Gujarat 11-0; Odisha drew with Tamil Nadu 2-2.

(Source: stick2hockey.com)

The Hindu: Haryana beats Bhopal

Haryana beats Bhopal

Shreedutta Chidananda

INTENSE BATTLE: Goalkeeper Nanak Singh and Arjun Antil of Haryana block a penalty corner during their Pool A match against Bhopal on Sunday. Photo: V. Sreenivasa Murthy The Hindu INTENSE BATTLE: Goalkeeper Nanak Singh and Arjun Antil of Haryana block a penalty corner during their Pool A match against Bhopal on Sunday. Photo: V. Sreenivasa Murthy

Haryana opened its campaign in the second Hockey India Senior National championship with a straightforward, if ponderous, 2-1 victory over Bhopal in its Pool A match here on Sunday.

Didar Singh and Mandeep Antil scored in either half to give the defending champion the win after Affan Yousuf had put Bhopal ahead early on.

Bhopal stunned the opponent in the 10th minute when Yousuf, finding himself in space on the edge of the circle, drilled the ball into the top corner. Coach Sandeep Sangwan made immediate changes, introducing Didar and Arjun Antil, and pushing Bharat Chikara forward. It took only 10 minutes for parity to be restored. Haryana won two successive penalty corners, the second of which Didar converted.

Haryana grew into the contest towards the close of the first half, and went on to dominate possession after the interval. Nothing, however, came of that superiority.

It took another penalty corner, 15 minutes in, for Haryana to move into the lead.

If Didar had hitherto assumed drag-flicking duties, he left it to his younger brother Sardar Singh this time.

The skipper unleashed one of his favourite reverse-flicks, which Mandeep Antil deflected into the net.

Meanwhile, Odisha and Tamil Nadu drew their potentially critical fixture 2-2, meaning the quarterfinalist to emerge out of that group could eventually be decided on goal difference.

Arunachal Pradesh failed to turn up for its Pool C fixture with Chhattisgarh.

It is not known if Arunachal will arrive for its second match, scheduled for Monday.

While the future course of action was yet to be fully decided, Chhattisgarh would definitely be awarded three points, said Tournament Director Mohammed Muneer.

The results: Pool A: Maharashtra 2 (Irshad Mirza 64, Vijay Tapa 69) lost to Puducherry 7 (Kamala Kannan 5, 17, 43, 59, Karthigeyan 12, Jairaj 13, 53); Haryana 2 (Didar Singh 20, Mandeep Antil 51) bt Bhopal 1 (Affan Yousuf 10).

Pool C: Punjab 12 (Gurjinder Singh 9, Prabhdeep Singh 15, 43, OG 24, Talwinder Singh 25, 59, 61, Ravipal Singh 26, Akashdeep Singh 30, Sarvanjit Singh 50, 67, Vikramjit Singh 56) bt J&K 1 (OG 42).

Pool E: Rajasthan 6 (Naresh 14, 17, 54, OG 48, Harpreet 62, Jaisham 68) bt Nagaland 1(Keduneizo 29); Air India 4 (Sameer Dad 1, Prabodh Tirkey 23, 39, Vikas Pillay 70) bt MP 1 (Vikas Choudhry 19).

Pool G: Kerala 11 (Muhammed Murthla 2, 16, 47, 62, E. Sarin 6, 52, 57, S. Adarse 15, Joshan George 24, S.S. Vishnu 60, 63) bt Gujarat 0; Odisha 2 (Amit Rohitdas 12, Mikhal Barla 18) drew with Tamil Nadu 2 (Rupinderpal Singh 38, 43).

(Source: stick2hockey.com)

BPL.com.au: World Series Hockey to rival IPL

It’s an unsanctioned, privately run tournament held in the sub-continent, seeking to capture the attention of an adoring public and a slice of a huge television rights market. Ownership stakes in the franchises are being offered to Indian celebrities, and the dollars on offer are attracting players from around the world, who submit themselves to a public auction process.

No, it’s not an Indian T20 cricket league, but instead a rebel ‘World Series Hockey’ competition.

The competition is now one year old, has teams across eight Indian cities, boasts title sponsors such as Bridgestone and Vodfone and is about to reach a critical juncture in the period post-London 2012.

Television rights are critical to assist in the funding of the league and the creation of value for the privately owned franchises – and as the only sport to rival cricket in a nation of 1.2 billion people, the Indian television market has this in spades. The WSH owners have begun to tap into this and Australian hockey players are on the cusp of becoming involved.

Australia is a nation that loves its sporting heroes – especially those that succeed on the world stage and bring home gold. However, the commercial reality for players within teams like the ‘Kookaburras’ – Australian men’s hockey team – is that despite medalling in the last five Olympics, winning gold in Athens in 2004, and numerous Champions trophies, the endorsements are few and far between. Indeed, to the general public the most famous Kookaburra is probably still former captain Ric Charlesworth, retired since the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, and outside of the Olympics we’re only likely to see their matches televised on the ABC.

As a result the Kookaburras are not likely to be in a position to permanently give up their day jobs to compete professionally. It is a position akin to Australia’s cricketers in the 1970s prior to the days of World Series Cricket. Thanks to the creation of ‘World Series Hockey’, more of our elite athletes are in a position to cash in - albeit this may come at a cost.

Typically, the biggest stick an international federation can wield is the threat of expulsion from internationally sanctioned events – the biggest of which being the Olympics. As the ‘World Series Hockey’ competition is not sanctioned by the world governing body, the Federation of International Hockey, participants risk receiving a one-year ban from playing in internationals. Indeed the FIH has already directed that its member nations place such bans on players joining WSH.

Why would an international federation or a national hockey body care? Well, its revenue streams are largely dictated by the sponsorship funds and broadcasting rights it can sell to third parties, and rebel competitions threaten that revenue stream.

If the core playing group are not available for large parts of the calendar, it could result in 1) fewer international tours being scheduled; and 2) those that are scheduled being likely to contain depleted squads – meaning less favourable results. All of this equates to less positive news, and less airtime for the national team and its commercial partners. By more rigidly controlling those event schedules (and perhaps directing them to play more official sub-continent events), that national body has greater control over its future direction, rather than being reliant on funding hand outs from the Australian Sports Commission.

Thanks to the threat of this ban and complications with national teams preparing for the London 2012 Olympics, most prominent international players were not involved in WSH’s first year. Despite this, the rebel tournament has attracted great attention and just like T20 cricket’s original ICL, it has now attracting a competitor – the ‘Hockey India League.’

Like the IPL, the ‘Hockey India League’ has the benefit of being sanctioned as an official tournament on the world calendar. The FIH has approved an exclusive window at the beginning of 2013, with plans for an IPL-style auction later this year to build publicity. Initial media releases suggest a similar team structure to the IPL, in that each team will contain a set mix of marquee Indian players, and a limit to the foreign players on each team.

The rebel league has been given a big head start, but as we saw with the IPL and its competitor, the now defunct ICL, this first mover advantage can be overcome if the newer entrant can attract bigger name players and provide a compelling television product. The IPL was assisted by receiving the endorsement of the BCCI, meaning that current international players would still be eligible to represent their country. (Some arm twisting to receive favourable scheduling within the ICC’s ‘Future Tours’ program didn’t hurt either.) Recent media reports suggest that international superstars such as Australia’s Jamie Dwyer are poised to sign up to one of the competitions, although most seem to be waiting for the dust to settle after London to see which league offers the most attractive package – or which seems the most commercially viable.

So will the new leagues be successful and enduring? Given the popularity of the sport and the population within India, it’s unlikely to turn in to a Mad Men-esque ‘Jai Alai’ project. However, recent history, including rival cricket leagues for cricket and American football, suggests that only one will survive.

Will we see a television mini-series about the move one day? As the project doesn’t involve a certain Australian TV magnate, I’d suggest not – and I doubt the ‘Chennai Cheetahs’ will ever become as well known as their IPL counterparts, the ‘Chennai Super Kings’, in this part of the world. However, the magnitude of the move for the sport and the players concerned appears to be just as momentous as Packer’s 1970s cricket revolution, and many Kookaburras can begin preparations for a post-London career as full-time professional athletes.

(Source: stick2hockey.com)

WSH set new global benchmarks for hockey

WSH set new global benchmarks for hockey

“A SPORTING property can claim success if it delivers on three basic sets of parameters: It offers a conduit for finding and rewarding the talent that exists in a sport, the quality of competition on display has to be world class, it brings new audiences into the game.” That was Indian Premier League CEO Sundar Raman explaining where his primary responsibility as the IPL organiser lay.

Do a critical review of the recently concluded World Series Hockey, the joint initiative between the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) and Nimbus Sport, and all the boxes will perforce be ticked in the affirmative. The reference to IPL is important because world cricket’s biggest annual jamboree was the first sports league to come out of India that had global ambitions in the way it was presented and delivered. The WSH represents Act II in India’s transition to a market that can deliver best in class in the sporting arena.

And with 31.136 million having tuned in (Tam Sports CS 4+ yrs, All India) to the tournament, WSH has clearly not only engaged die-hard hocky fans, but brought in new viewers to the sport. And this was the case in the stadia as well.

As Yannick Colaco, COO Nimbus Sport, pointed out to SportzPower in an accompanying interview, “Matches in Mumbai, Bhopal, Bengaluru and Pune were played to packed stadiums, with 3000 fans in the semi-final in Bangalore returning back from the stadium to watch at home as tickets were sold out.”

Vinit Karnik, national director - Entertainment, Sports & Live Events, GroupM ESP, who convinced his client Bridgestone to take up the title rights to the event, was equally effusive. “From a hockey point of view, it was a great beginning. It was a well mounted and executed league. Nimbus did a good job promoting the tournament. Interview with Nimbus Sport Chief Operating Officer Yannick Colaco

“Bridgestone as a title sponsor is extremely happy with the way the tournament shaped up and will continue to back this initiative by IHF-Nimbus.”

In the end, the WSH’s success delivered a slap in the face not so much to Hockey India, whose every reaction to the intiative was only directed at trying to ensure that an event mounted by a rival claimant to suzerainty over Indian hockey was stillborn, but to the International Hockey Federation (FIH), which should have stayed neutral in regards to what by any yardstick was a positive development for world hockey.

It will be interesting to see the stance FIH takes when WSH has its second season, as it is not just Indian hockey that has been reinvigorated by the tournament, but the kind of money the international stars have made will no doubt have got players from all over the world talking. As Colaco pointed out, “It was disappointing that some of the national players could not participate in WSH despite having signed contracts with us. While all those who missed out this year have confirmed that they want to play next year, their participation in WSH 2 will depend solely on their performance, form and the “hockey” value that they bring to the event. Similarly, we have received requests from top international players from Germany, Australia, Netherlands and Spain who all want to be part of WSH 2. Whether we offer them contracts or not will be again depend on the same parameters.”

Kingshuk Gupta, director, Sporting Ace, and owners of the WSH franchise Karnataka Lions, is however, not quite so blasé about the matter. Gupta sees the non-participation of national hockey players and the problems between HI and WSH as the biggest challenges that will confront WSH 2. Said Gupta, “Non-participation of Indian national hockey players and the problems between HI and WSH remain the big worries.Hopefully, after the Olympics, Indian players will join WSH.”

Gupta says he thoroughly enjoyed his first experience as a franchise owner. “It was wonderful. As I used to travel with the team for their matches, experiencing winning moments, being part of the unit, was all a unique experience. I got to learn a lot of things from the tour.”

Sabbas Joseph, director Wizcraft International Entertainment Pvt. Ltd, the owners of the Delhi Wizards franchise made a more business oriented assessment: “It (WSH) was a very positive experience.The organizers and all others were committed, and wanted to promote the event. Excitement levels were high. As the series moved forward, there were viewership increased,and even the grounds were filled.”

Looking ahead to the next season, Gupta said, “Hopefully the Indian national hockey players will play for the coming series of WSH. The younger boys playing in WSH have shown potential and we have a lot of confidence in them. Hopefully they will continue with it in future and take hockey onto the next level.

“The crowds in Karnataka were great and very supportive. We hope the second edition will be even more successful.”

Joseph said he wanted the entertainment quotient of the event in the next edition to be upped a notch. Joseph averred, “We would try to bring more amount of entertainment, try to develop more interest and develop the talent at grass root level, which are really the sole motives for us as a corporate to be associated with the tournament.

When comparisons with IPL and cricket are thrown up, Gupta is quick to respond: “Cricket is a different game, no comparisons. I think there should be other games at second and third place like hockey and football which should be followed. Crowds are supportive. It’s just that the different sports communities should come back with something like WSH and IPL to build the particular sport.

WSH is very different and has given a new perspective to the way hockey is being played. It’s a great platform for the younger players to showcase their talent.

Added Joseph, “Audiences are experiencing a different sport and they are liking it.”

Asserts Colaco, “WSH 2 will be bigger, better and grander. Now that we’ve successfully established the platform, we will work tirelessly to accelerate the growth of the property and continue to set new global benchmarks for the sport of hockey.”

(Source: stick2hockey.com)

A 6-member committee in the offing?

A 6-member committee in the offing to manage Indian affairs?

This is what is floating in the IHF circle nowadays. It seems the Indian Hockey Federation has got a favourable decision from the Federation Internationale de Hockey’s Judicial Commission with respect to who should govern the sport in India.

Accordingly, the global parent body has, according to sources, decided to constitute a six-member committee to solve the protracted tussle between Hockey India and Indian Hockey Federation.

The Committee will start functioning from May 1.

The objective of the new body will be to finalize modalities of settlement with a deadline and it is expected to be by the end of September.

The FIH President Leondro Negre was in Delhi on Monday to discuss the issue with both the warring factions, and his visit was kept a secret.

He has met IHF Advisor KPS Gill among others.

The Indian Olympic Association dissolved the Indian Hockey Federation in the aftermath of a sting operation by a television company, and it was due to India’s failure to qualify for the Beijing Olympics.

Then an adhoc committee was formed with a mandate to run the sport and to conduct elections within six months. However, a new body called Hockey India was formed in a secretive manner which surprised many.

Meanwhile, Delhi High Court dismissed the IOA’s action, which revived the IHF stakes. Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, which funds most of the hockey programs, acknowledged the IHF as the official national federation to administer hockey. It did not go for appeal.

However, the FIH stood by the HI more stubbornly despite this legal resolution.

Supreme Court has time and again passed interim orders by which the HI could select national team to participate in international tournaments, starting from Commonwealth Games.

Meanwhile the IHF in collaboration with Nimbus Sports organized a very big and hugely successful World Series Hockey.

The success of WSH seemed to have softened the FIH stand.

Nimbus and the IHF also took enormous efforts, legal or otherwise, to force reason with the FIH, one of which was believed to be filing a case with Court of Arbitration for Sports.

If the formation of six-member committee is true, then at least we can look forward to some solution to the lingering problem, that is almost killing the talent in the country.

(Source: stick2hockey.com)

Indian Express: Hockey’s first Rs 1,00,00,000 man

Hockey’s first Rs 1,00,00,000 man

At the height of the HI-IHF wrangle over the fate of World Series Hockey and its players a few months back, Sandeep Singh made a call to Gurjinder Singh. The drag flick expert of the Indian national side had just heard that the 18-year-old, whose penalty corner talents he had held in high regard ever since the two had been part of the national camp in 2011, had just confirmed to play for the Chandigarh Comets in the ‘rebel’ league. “Why did you have to take such a step?” the senior Indian pro asked. “I won’t be playing in the Indian team forever. In another few years you would have got a chance to play for the country,” Sandeep had berated, suggesting that Hockey India might see him as an outcast because of his participation in the unofficial league.

A couple of months later, with a tournament topping 19 goals and Rs 1.125 crore in prize money for his efforts, Gurjinder hasn’t done too badly for himself. The figure isn’t just unheard of in Indian hockey, but even at the world level. Even in the Euro League — a highly competitive professional tournament — the Player of the Tournament earns 5000 Euros (approx. Rs 3.5 lakh). This, for a man who has barely been on the fringes of national selection. One who has never represented the country at any level.

Gurjinder says Sandeep then made another call, a more appreciative one than the previous time. “He not only praised my shooting skills, but also claimed that I had scored more in one tournament than many players had in their entire careers,” Gurjinder says. “Another senior player told me not to worry about my future. He said that all the problems were between the two federations and can’t go on forever,” the teenager adds.

Earnest beginnings

While many of the players who competed in the tournament were ageing or returning from retirement, Gurjinder stood out because of his youth and the potential of his career being cut short at such an early age. A student at the Chandigarh Hockey and Football Academy, he had been a member of the national junior side since 2007, and had also been called to the national camp in 2011 — one of only two junior players retained when the squad was culled to 32.

“I didn’t make it to the national side, but I was selected as captain of the junior team, which was to participate in the Sultan Johor Cup. But a day before the tournament, I picked up an ankle injury in practice. It was a minor injury and the doctor told me it would heal in a few days. Yet, I was dropped,” he says. “I had already signed up to play in the WSH. And because of the suddenness of being dropped from the junior side, I decided to stick by WSH despite the controversies that erupted.” And thanks to that decision, Gurjinder can now count the unprecedented positives that have changed his life for good.

“I hadn’t ever been on TV, so when I did, my friends from the village made plenty of calls to tell me just what they felt,” he says. “Now, even people on the road recognise me. That is a truly amazing experience.” Post WSH, fame has brought along its more rewarding cousin — Indian Oil has signed him as an employee, while he is also currently fielding offers from clubs around Europe.

A different ball game

Not unlike many Europeans, Gurjinder had tried his hand, foot actually, at football before shifting to hockey at a serious level. “Six years ago, we conducted trials in Batala. And that’s when this boy joined us on a permanent basis,” recalls the hockey coach at the Chandigarh Football and Hockey Academy in Chandigarh, Gurvinder Singh. His love for football kept him in perfect physique, something that would soon help with his drag-flicking abilities. “He was the fittest player, a reason Chandigarh won its only Gold Cup,” believes his coach from his junior days.

His days at the Sector 42 sports complex helped immensely, as senior India players such as Rajpal Singh and Deepak Thakur would often train on that turf, and the academy youngsters would practice against them. And almost always, Gurjinder would find a way through the defences of the Indian players. This was when the lad’s ability was spotted by the big guns, but Gurjinder’s talent had already made plenty of news well before he took up the game at a serious level.

Folk tales

A decade ago, Gurjinder had joined the Cheema Academy in Shahbad as a schoolboy, where coach Ranjeet Singh Cheema remembers him as a shy kid, who would not speak much, and train for hours on end. “I can still recall the day he joined in 2002. Gurjinder didn’t even know how to tie the Juda (the turban worn by Sikh children),” Cheema says. “We had 8-10 boys in our academy, and Gurjinder and his brother Jaswinder came to us after they watched a game of hockey in their government primary school. They would often walk from their village in Sangatpur to the academy in Shahbad. It is a long walk.”

Nothing deterred Gurjinder from his goals, not even the fading of natural light. “They would switch on lights on scooters and motorcycles and practice in the ‘floodlit’ academy all night long,” the coach recalls.

Times, of course, have changed rather drastically. But Gurjinder can never forget his roots, or the sacrifices he and his family have made to get to the top. “My father is a farmer, so we never had money growing up. I had won awards before but never so much,” says Gurjinder, referring to his Rs 12,50,000 prize money for scoring the most goals in the WSH and the Rs 1 crore loot for being named the ‘Rockstar of the tournament. “Back in my academy days, I was awarded Rs 10,000 for winning the U-17 school nationals. I had never seen so much money at the same time,” he claims.

“With that money, I bought my first mobile phone, one with a black and white screen.” His first vehicle — a 100cc motorbike, now having clocked several thousand kilometres on the odometer — was financed through similar circumstances. The occasional prize money took care of the down payment, while the careful scrimping and saving of daily travel allowances paid for the rest.

A hard-earned reward

For Gurjinder’s 50-year-old father Sarwan Singh, the crore is still unthinkable, given that he has spent the better part of his adult life earning in the thousands. “With my income, I could only afford to put him in a government school. But Gurjinder wanted to go to a private school, like the rich boys,” the father recalls wistfully. Sarwan, however, believes that it was fate that put him there, as on the very first day of school, Gurjinder returned with an old stick, inspired by the hockey he watched in the playground. “We have only a small piece of land to farm and we earned about 10,000 annually from it. I even doubled up as a daily wage earner at a machine factory in Batala. Thankfully, his coach Ranjeet did not take any fees from us.”

The WSH-riches then, will go towards first mending the basics. And father Sarwan has his laundry list of changes ready. “The roof of our house is a tin one. I will get that cemented pucca,” he says. “I do not know much about money and banks. But these boys have learnt a lot in Chandigarh. I will ask them to buy a piece of land, where we can build a new home.”

For Gurjinder, this current windfall is such that he has yet to come to terms with its magnitude. But the boy does have a fair idea of what he’s going to go shopping for. “It sounds funny when any of my friends calls me a crorepati. I laugh and tell them to wait for the cheque to clear,” he says. “But once it does, my parents want me to buy an apartment. However, what I really want to buy is a jeep and an iPad.

(Source: http)

Indian Express: With greens in bank, dreaming of India blue

With greens in bank, dreaming of India blue

“It’s gold,” says a proud Roshan Minz, pointing exictedly at the crucifix and chain around his neck. He bought it with the advance he had received from the contract with the Pune Strykers. “I always wanted to wear gold,” he says shyly. After raking in the moolah at the first World Series Hockey, Minz can afford a lot more than just the token medallion.

Although dejected after his side lost in the final, Minz was more than just surprised when his name was announced for the Rs 50 lakh cheque as winner of the Indian ‘Star of the Tournament’ category. “I waited for them to call my name again because I thought I had heard them incorrectly the first time around,” he says.

That moment of elation, however, is tempered with his recollection of being forced to choose between WSH and the national team. Minz, who had earned over 50 caps since making his national team debut in 2007, but fell out of favour after a ligament injury in 2009, and subsequent poor form. While the 24-year-old had been part of several national camps since then, he couldn’t ever make it back to the big league.

“I was confused as to what decision to take. If I went to the national camp, then maybe I could have made the cut for the final 48, then 30 and maybe even the playing eleven. Then, maybe, I could have gotten some reasonable playing time,” he says. “But there were too many ‘maybes’. With the WSH, it guaranteed Rs 5,00,000 for a month’s work.” It was ultimately a no-brainer.

“You can’t live just on honour. My father died when I was sixteen and since then my priority was to take care of my family . After I got a job, I was able to contribute to my family. WSH was simply a way to provide for my family. I even had a little left for myself,” he says.

While the money is likely to go in buying a house for his family in Bhubhaneshwar, Minz says he is also grateful for the fact that the WSH allowed him to prove his worth.

“Towards the end of my national team stint, I was getting to play ten minutes in a match. For Pune, I was always a starting player. During the semis against Chandigarh (Pune was 4-1 down but equalised 4-4 in the last ten minutes before winning on penalties) I felt unstoppable. In front of big crowds, I was expected to be a match winner,” he says.

Then, as he fiddles with the crucifix incessantly, Minz appears restless. While his decision to play in the WSH was a pure pragmatic choice, he still dreams of playing for India.

“When I started playing in my village Kardapal in Orissa, I couldn’t afford proper gear so I would carve a stick out of tree branch and pretend to be Dilip Tirkey. At that point, hockey wasn’t played for the money. For someone who comes from a small village in the tribal areas, playing for India is the most special thing,” he says.

It’s clear he still has to come to terms with the consequences of his decision. “I’m not comfortable being called a star. A real star is someone who has made a name for himself by playing for the country,” he explains. “I’ve got some respect because of WSH. But that is nothing compared to the respect an Olympian gets.” Following a pause, Minz says: “If they recall me to the (national) camp, I will certainly go.”

(Source: stick2hockey.com)

stick it out

stick it out

Despite the excitement surrounding World Series Hockey, the national sport is all but out on a limb, waiting for bureaucratic wranglers to have mercy. Indira Parthasarathy figures the disillusionment… INDIRA PARTHASARATHY | Issue Dated: April 30, 2012, New Delhi

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times… Dickens may as well have been speaking about Indian field hockey as it witnessed some of its most eventful times in the weeks gone by. The ongoing World Series Hockey (WSH) and the unbeaten stint at the Olympic qualifiers early this year may have given the game the much needed shot in the arm after having been through some very painful lows including, but not limited to, failing to qualify for the Beijing Olympics. Indeed, to reflect on the journey of the sport in the nation that claims it for its national game, besides giving the sport its very best –Dhyanchand – is to commission a tragedy of Shakespearean proportions.

Stick it out “Everything is wrong with our hockey,” says Jude Felix, in a manner that suggests end of conversation. Former Indian captain and midfield maestro, Jude Felix is coach to Karnataka Lions, one of the eight teams playing in WSH. This multi-city franchise-based league is proving to be a more popular version of its predecessor, the Premier Hockey League, also floated by the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF). The PHL was wound up after four seasons, though not before it threw up some of our current top-form players like Sandeep Singh, Sardara Singh, Shivendra et al. With a total prize money of Rs 100 million, the WSH has got higher stakes and the glitzy promotions have done well to draw in the crowds. With efforts thus to set up a robust professional league – what, most agree, the country was missing – you’d think sunny days are back, right? Wrong. For the WSH is an almost unsanctioned tournament, thanks to warring federations – IHF and Hockey India – who refuse to play ball despite repeated interventions from the International Hockey Federation (FIH) that only recognises the latter. The players were forced to choose sides in the name of country vs club, as Hockey India’s whimsical call for Olympic preparatory camps were scheduled to clash with the IHF-backed domestic league. Despite rescheduling, 18 players are sitting out of the WSH, in what can only be seen as a victory for the shameful arm-twisting tactics of an egomaniacal bureaucracy.

Says Arjun Halappa, former Indian captain and seasoned striker, “Till about one month back, I was there (national camp), and I know every player wanted to play the WSH. I really can’t say what happened. For the youngsters, the lure of being called an Olympian is immense. But you can’t blame the players for choosing one over the other.” Captain of Karnataka Lions, Arjun’s closeness to the league possibly cost him a seat in the Olympic squad, but he is unequivocal about the benefits of WSH in terms of endorsements, competition exposure and money. And in a sport that has witnessed many a hero of his day die unattended and penniless, the prospect of money can’t be overstated.

The administrative impasse aside, our hockey has a lot to set right before it can hark back to the glory of six Olympic golds on the trot (1928-56). “These qualifiers weren’t the real competition; it was a very weak field with teams ranked 41 in the group. A good show at London in July will mean something for the sport. We need to make it into the top six regularly..” offers Jude. Former national coach, Spaniard Jose Brasa, who was made to leave in rather ugly circumstances – you don’t want to get him started on the officialdom plaguing the game (see interview) – is however quite impressed with Indian talent and cares only to point out defence as a possible weak link.

Indian hockey’s fortunes in the future will also depend on a good talent harvest system. The sports schools around the country are a ray of hope, according to Jude Felix. As the founder of Jude Felix Hockey Academy, where he and other former internationals work with the underprivileged, he would know. Time to cue the Beatles song, slightly paraphrased, ‘Hey Jude… take a sad game and make it better…’

India has outstanding talent: Micheal Nobbs

Former national coach, Jose Brasa is a man who lets bygones be bygones. Hired when the team was at its all-time low – having missed the Olympic bus in 2008 – this Spaniard fell victim to bureaucratic upmanship inspite of steering a memorable turnaround. Brasa talks fondly of the boys, while hoping for current coach Nobbs’ ‘freedom’…

What according to you were/are the key problem areas of Indian hockey?
Defence is a concern with Indian hockey in general. The natural Indian way of play is the attacking kind. They do it well; they still have to improve overall in defence, and especially improve in stopping the counters of the opposite team.

The short corners are becoming very important to win matches, and Sandeep Singh is getting more confident with his drag flicks. We’ll have to see if it’ll be the same against the top teams and top goal-keepers.

Which other players show the most promise…
India has outstanding talent. Sardara Singh is one of the best hockey players in the world. Besides, there’s Sarabjit Singh, Tushar Khandekar, Shivendra Singh and S V Sunil, I think they are some of the best in the world. There’s Vinaya – I’m upset he never got a chance to prove himself for the national team and Deepak Thakur and Prabhjyot (playing for Sher-e-Punjab, currently on top of the league)…

You sound very optimistic about the team…
Yes, because they have the potential. The problem is the officials who don’t let the coach do his job properly – that was the problem I faced in the past. In the two years (2009-10) I coached them, we never played a single training match before important competitions like the Asian Games or the Commonwealth games. The only matches we played here in India were the official matches of the Commonwealth Games and the official matches of the World Cup. But never were there any training or unofficial tournaments against other nations. And now there’s a similar problem with this fine competition, the WSH. The officials are fighting among themselves and they have forbidden the players from participating in this great league, where they can compete and improve

Would you say foreign coaches are a better bet for Indian hockey over local veterans?
It’s not a problem of foreign or Indian; it’s about good or bad coaches. It’s a matter of style of coaching. Not all Indian coaches are bad, and not all foreign coaches are good. But I do think Indian coaches should go abroad to coach and to attend coaching seminars etc. Indian style of play was the best 30 years ago, but the Indian coaching style is probably not the best anymore. They should go to other countries, for example spend time with the European leagues, and then bring back that experience here.

How does the WSH serve to help Indian hockey?
For India to improve overall and particularly their art of defence, they need to face top competition like all other nations. All the important countries in hockey – European ones, Australia, Argentina – have strong national leagues. Here there aren’t big league competitions to allow the players to perform and expose themselves to world-class players and competition. The WSH matches have proven to be high-intensity from the very first minute of the match. And that is what the Indian players need – to learn how important is concentration for the entire 70 mins of the match.

Many are saying that India’s unbeaten stint in the Olympics qualifiers is not much to write home about on account of being a weak field. What do you think are our chances at the London Olympics?
The only thing holding back India is the planning. If the coach has the power to plan how he wants – and it seems the current coach has it – and India has the talent, they’ll definitely do well. If he can get friendlies organised in the run-up to Olympics, that will be good. India should not have the officials run the sport. You can find about 25-30 players of international level and they could play in the first XI of any country. The problem is of control – everybody wants to control the national team. Officials want to decide who gets to play, and then who gets to play centre-forward. The officials should be just working to get money for the players, and the coach should be left to plan. Decisions to do with the team should not be taken outside the team, like the decision to put Arjun (Halappa) out for ‘political’ reasons.

Any words of wisdom for Nobbs? What he needs is time and freedom. And not interference from the officials. Keep the officials far away from the team decisions

(Source: stick2hockey.com)

A film on Dhyan Chand is a reality, coming soon

A film on Dhyan Chand is coming soon

Indian hockey is always abuzz with news. It never ceases to exist. Last six months in particular, it has been on one big news or other. Lanco Hockey 9s, Olympic Qualifier, followed by World Series Hockey, and then a Pakistan tour cancellation, besides ever-green topic of IHF-HI feud.

Now, its on Major Dhyan Chand, for a change.

This has been in the wind for the last three years. As many as four cinema production houses were on it. Ultimately, its sure. A film on Major Dhyan Chand is a reality.

Just as happened with martyr Bhagat Singh of Indian freedom movement, where almost three companies released a film based on him in a three-month spell, a film on Dhyan Chand too faces the problem of plenty.

Right from Yash Raj Films, which produced super duper hit Chak De India, to independent producer Satyajeet Puri are believed to be in various stages of the film.

Olympian Ashok Kumar, one of the sons of Dhyan Chand, is on record as to providing legal rights to a unnamed cinema company.

The hero of Chak De India, Shah Ruk Khan, who played a role of Kabir Khan as a frustrated player turning into a successful coach, is also on record he has been approached to act as Dhyan Chand.

Films on sporting personalities has been a new passion in Mumbai, nerve centre of cinema production. After Chak De India (2007), films on football, and recently one on Paan Singh Tomor, an Asian Games medalist turned dacoit, have hit the big screens.

It is within my knowledge the plot on Dhyan Chand is a hot topic in Bollywood in the last four years, and has dispatched researchers into nook and corner of the country.

One of my sources with whom I was collecting information on Dhyan Chand as a routine hockey research, all of a sudden stopped interaction, and it was later gathered due to ‘cinema’ effect.

Dhyan Chand is first hockey star in India, if we leave out wrestlers like Gama, who have never taken part in the Olympics.

There has been a huge demand to bestow him with Bharat Ratna.

Never to miss out the huge sentiments the legend evokes, Bollywood will soon present us with a film on him.

India is celebrating his anniversary as Sports Day, and a bronze statue of him welcome us at the National stadium in Delhi, which is also named after him. This country definitely has not forgotten the hero, and we will have another chapter on him with a film, that can take him further close to the heart of gen next, easily.

The link of my article on Dhyan Chand, as published in India Today, is given below:

http://www.stick2hockey.com/Article/bDHYAN%20CHAND-B%20Sorcerer%27s%20Score/HistoryWatch/17/9199~7611~6426~6361~5958~4489~3690~3162~2763~2618~2055~2023~1881~1796~1795~1344~1343~1342~1341~1340/3690.html

Deccan Chronicel: WSH proves a winner

WSH proves a winner * By T.N. Raghu

The success of the inaugural World Series Hockey tournament is a shot in the arm for the sport in India and a slap on the face of Hockey India administrators who tried to scuttle the eight-team league.

Even neutral observers and hockey lovers had their doubts because the WSH faced many hurdles. The timing of the event was instrumental to its success. Hockey was in the news for all the right reasons after India qualified for the Olympics on February 26.

Indian cricket team’s dire performance in Australia aided hockey because the fans and the media needed some feel-good story to talk about.

Hockey India dangled the carrot of Olympic participation to current Indian players to prevent them from taking part in the WSH. The HI honchos might have thought the cash rich league wouldn’t take off without the likes of Sandeep Singh, Sardar Singh and Shivendra Singh. But their calculations went awry as the WSH went ahead without Singhs.

The Premier Hockey League — conceived by the IHF and ESPN in 2005 — was conducted in one or two centres and the teams were owned by the organisers. But the franchise-based WSH bandwagon moved around on the home and away basis, thus creating a logistics nightmare. Setting up broadcast centres at eight venues was another headache the WSH had to grapple with. These issues are taken for granted in cricket in India, but not in hockey.

Matches — two per day — were telecast with a touch of class and professionalism. The late evening schedule helped the fans to tune in after school, college and office hours. According to the TV rating released by the WSH, the event captured more eye balls than the English Premier League consistently, which is not a mean record. If the statistics are true, hockey’s hopes of filling in the non-cricket void on TV aren’t misplaced.

The crowd support in Chennai, Pune, Bengaluru, Bhopal and Mumbai was excellent while it was lukewarm in the northern centres. Overall, the number wasn’t bad for a hockey tournament. The atmosphere for the final between Sher-E-Punjab and Pune Styrkers was electric and the turnout impressive.

The progress of Pune to the final is the story of the tournament. The Styrkers, who didn’t have big foreign and Indian names in their roster, rose from the ashes twice to set up a date with Punjab. When everything seemed lost against Chandi-garh Comets in the semifinals, Pune staged a stunning a recovery from 1-4 down to force a shootout. The emergence of youngsters such as Gurpreet Singh, Lalit Upadhyaya, Sim-randeep Singh, Vikramjeet Singh and B. Laxman Karan is a legacy the WSH would cherish.

The cash prizes awarded were unprecedented in world hockey. Gurjinder Singh, Chandigarh’s PC specialist, scooped the MVP award and Rs 1 crore. He hasn’t even turned 20. There is no doubt that an injection of cash is critical to revive hockey in India. Nimbus and the IHF have delivered what they had promised. It is time to raise a toast to them

(Source: http)

filmitown.com: Pakistan hockey player Imran Warsi to do a sports reality show

Pakistan hockey player Imran Warsi to do a sports reality show

Well known Pakistani Hockey player Imran Warsi has hit the headlines yet again! As you know that the veteran was in India for his latest tournament but his team couldn’t win the match. To which , Imran said that though his team has lost the match but being in India for a tournament has given him many memories and he longs to visit the country again.

However, the news about the player that has created the waves is that while his stay in India, Imran was offered to do a sports reality show and the player has apparently given a nod for it. Asked about this reality show- Imran said that this will be the first reality show of its kind that will be based on sports and it will also help them to promote their game. He added that this reality show will be very different from the other reality shows that have ever been featured on small screen.

Furthermore, Imran talked about the special tribute he was paid by his Pakistani inmates to motivate him throughout the game. He added that the people in Pakistan had even created a special jingle for him titled ‘Jeeto to Aise’. We hope that your show goes on the floor soon Imran and we wish you lots of luck for it!

(Source: http)

Imran Warsi gets reality show offer

Imran Warsi gets reality show offer

Imran Warsi gets reality show offer Pakistans hockey player Imran Warsi who showed a remarkable performance at the World Hockey Series league made a sudden stop over at Delhi before leaving for Holland on Saturday evening.

Dressed in a black tee and adjusting his long locks, Imran told us, ” I had a amazing experience during the league. Last match was very depressing we lost the match and our team lost the opportunity to play in the semi finals. I was almost in tears and was very upset, lekin jo pyaar mila yaahan se shayad main bhul nahi paaunga.” He continues saying in his emotional tone, “It was an amazing experience and I feel lucky that I got the opportunity to meet so many people and visit so many places in India. Main apni saat bahut saari achi yaadien liye ghar wapas jaa raha hun.” Next he is all set to prepare for his upcoming league match in Europe. Imran says, ” I will be leaving for Holland and I shall get busy with my next league tournament. I wish I could have stayed back in India for some more time. Pakistani sportsperson hote hue bhi yaahan ke logon ne mujhe bahut pyaar aur samman diya yeh cheez bahut yaadghar rahegi mere liye. Hopefully I should be back again as I have been offered to do a sports reality show.”

So what is the reality show all about and he elaborates, “I have been offered to do a Indian reality show that will focus on hockey. Inshaallah! it should take off soon. Nothing has been finalized but the concept of show will be very different from the other sports reality show for sure. Interestingly, the show will include all well known hockey players and this will help in promoting our game in future.”

Imran Warsi is the highest scorer from Chennai Cheetahs team in the World Series Hockey league and a special song was created to pay tribute to the hockey star on the you tube site.Imran proudly says, “People in Pakistan felt very proud when they watched my performance. A special song was created titled ‘jeeo to aise’ to support motivate and encourage me throughout the tournament.”

(Source: http)

Gurjinder hits jackpot

Gurjinder hits jackpot

Chandigarh Comet’s drag-flicker named WSH Rockstar, earns Rs 1-cr award

Everything seemed to be going according to plan after the Chandigarh Comets had taken a 4-1 lead in their semi-final against Pune Strykers on Sunday evening. But Pune fought back impressively to ultimately win the game through penalty shoot-out, and birthday boy Gurjinder Singh who had by then emerged tournament’s top-scorer along with Pakistani veteran Imran Warsi with 19 goals was left crestfallen.

It was a result hard to fathom for the drag-flicker who had just turned 18. However, he was rejoicing yesterday after being declared the Rockstar of the WSH. And not only that, he just got richer by a whopping Rs one crore! This is a figure unheard of in hockey and naturally, the boy from Sangatpur village in Punjab was overwhelmed.

“The WSH is a great opportunity for youngsters like me. I got a chance to play here and showcase my drag flicks. Junior players should get proper opportunity and the atmosphere to compete and show their talent,” said Gurjunder who has impressed everyone with his abilities.

Gurjinder honed his early skills at the Chandigarh Hockey Academy under coach Gurvinder Singh and Jasbir Singh Bajwa. “I train four days a week, and hit around 250 balls per day in a span of 2 to 2 ½ hrs daily. It involves a lot of hard work,” he said about his training schedule.

Gurjinder who made his junior India debut at the Sultan Johor Cup in 2011 said he was inspired by Jugraj Singh, who triggered a new trend for drag-flickers in Indian hockey in the early 2000s, to try his hand at drag-flicking. “Jugraj Singh and Sandeep Singh are my inspirations. I have been lucky to train with both of them. Sandeep was very suppotive in the India camp and said I would be an asset for any team,” he said.

The village he belongs to is often confused with the place where former India striker Prabhjot Singh hails from, but Gurjinder clarified that it’s just that Prabhjot’s village happens to be nearby. “My village is near to his village, so people think that we come from the same village.

(Source: stick2hockey.com)

Sporstar: A fan of Indian style

A fan of Indian style

“It was a great feeling to be at the top of the podium in Athens. The gold had been eluding us for a long time. It was an amazing experience. You only dream of it,” says Brent Livermore, who led Australia to its first ever Olympic gold medal in 2004. By K. Keerthivasan.

Brent Livermore is back in a familiar role in the Bridgestone World Series Hockey. Playing the role of a captain and mentor for Chennai Cheetahs comes naturally to the 35-year-old Australian. All the youngsters in the team look up to him and are eager to learn from his rich experience.

“He is so down to earth,” says Sivamani, a promising midfielder from Chennai Cheetahs. And according to Adam Sinclair, a forward for Cheetahs, Brent’s inputs are valuable and make a lot of sense.

Fame and greatness sit lightly on Brent, who captained Australia to its first-ever Olympic gold medal at the 2004 Games in Athens.

“It was a great feeling to be at the top of the podium in Athens. Winning the gold in Olympics doesn’t happen easily. The gold had been eluding us for a long time. It was an amazing experience. You only dream of it. It’s not just because of training. You need everything — family support, patience from your side, no occurrence or recurrence of injuries and the support of fans. Everything has to fall in place,” says the veteran.

For Brent, it was the greatest sporting moment of his life. According to him defeating The Netherlands following a golden goal scored by Jamie Dwyer in front of a packed stadium was a surreal experience. Watched by his family (his wife, a netball player, and daughter Kyra who was then eight months old) Brent fulfilled his country’s hopes.

Brent says that the gold at the Athens Olympics changed the attitude of the Australian team. “The perspectives, the attitudes, the method of training, everything changed for the better. We realised our potential, and the need to take our game forward,” he says.

In a way, by winning the gold, Brent made amends for missing the penalty stroke against The Netherlands in the semifinals of the 2000 Sydney Olympics. “It is still in my memory. But I am not going to lose sleep over it. These things happen in sport and you have to take it in your stride and move on,” he says.

In World Series Hockey, the star midfielder didn’t inspire much confidence in Cheetahs’ first home game against Mumbai Marines, but slowly and steadily he began to show his wares. The way Brent trapped the ball, beat his markers and passed to the wingers gave a glimpse of his prowess. The home match against Bhopal Badshahs, where Cheetahs won 4-1, saw Brent in all his splendour. Brent is all praise for World Series Hockey. “Interacting with the Indian players and players from other countries has been interesting. You tend to learn and adapt to different playing styles. As a result, you are sure to improve your game. It’s been fun so far,” he says.

Arguing that leagues such as World Series Hockey are the need of the hour, Brent says Australia has one of the best teams in the world because its players play in some of the best leagues across the world. “The Australian men’s team is No. 1 not because of nothing. Our players play in the Dutch League, the Spanish League… It makes you physically and mentally tough,” he says.

Having to play 14 matches, some of them on successive days, it is important for a team to get into a routine. And it is the responsibility of the captain to make his team understand the importance of sticking to a deadline.

Team meetings, warming up before a match, warming down, pre-match and post-match discussions are things that Brent loves to do with his team-mates. “Making the team get used to a routine on a match day is crucial. I like to lead from the front,” says Brent, who is called ‘Chief’ for his leadership qualities.

One of the most capped players for Australia — he has played 318 matches in a career spanning 13 years — Brent has played in two Olympics, two World Cups, 11 Champions Trophy tournaments, three Commonwealth Games and several other internationals matches.

Besides being a part of the Olympic gold medal-winning team, Brent has won three Champions Trophy tournaments with Australia — 1999 (Brisbane), 2005 (Chennai) and 2009 (Melbourne). “I regret not being able to win the World Cup in my career,” he says.

Brent was not a member of the Australian team that won the World Cup in 2010. He says the selectors ignored him for the 2010 World Cup in New Delhi not on the basis of his form or skill, but because of his age. That, according to him, was very unfair. “I was hoping to be a part of the team. Even now, I am fit but the selectors ignored my performance, fitness and instead preferred to look at only my date of birth, which is pretty sad. They (selectors) told me ‘You are among the top 10 players in Australia, but we need to blood youngsters’. It’s difficult to accept. My situation is the same as cricketer Simon Katich,” Brent says.

Brent’s senior international debut was interesting, one that gave him a rare opportunity to see the best of Pakistani players. Aged 20, he played in the five-nation 50th Golden Jubilee tournament in Karachi in front of 50,000-strong supporters. “I still remember a large number of people cheering the home team. In one match against Pakistan, Shahbaz Ahmed’s shot whizzed past my ears into the goal. It was an experience in itself,” he recalls.

Having watched and competed with Indian players in his prime, Brent is a fan of the Indian style. He hopes the World Series Hockey would provide the necessary boost to Indian hockey. “I enjoy playing in India and Pakistan for the people’s passion and love for the sport. I hope India gets back to the top in world hockey,” he says

(Source: stick2hockey.com)