There is optimism in the air as India’s women’s hockey team prepare for the FIH Olympic qualifiers to be held in Ranchi from January 13. As a precursor to the Paris Olympics qualifiers, the senior Indian team will be travelling to Valencia in Spain for a five-nation tournament to be played from December 15 to 22.
The field is rich, with matches against Ireland, Spain, Germany and Belgium sure to test India. Since the time the women’s team finished fourth at the Tokyo Olympics, there has been a general appreciation that, in terms of fitness, these girls are very much in the top rung.
Janneke Schopman, the coach, had spoken last week of the team being well-balanced and strong. “It’s an ideal platform to build on the recent performances and keep themselves in the right frame of mind heading into the Olympic qualifiers,” she said.
At that time, the junior girls’ team also competed in the World Cup, with mixed results. Wins against New Zealand, USA and Japan were creditable. However, the juniors were off-colour against at least two European teams.
At this stage, to think the senior side needs players from the junior pool would be incorrect. The senior team has a good group of players who did well to win bronze in the Hangzhou Asian Games. On return, they won the Asian Champions Trophy in Ranchi in November.
In Savita Punia and Vandana Katariya, the team has two seasoned players who lead by example. However, at this stage, to think junior players would walk into the senior side may be premature.
“I think the senior sides, men and women are pretty sorted,” said Jagbir Singh, former India captain. “For the men’s team to win gold in the Asian Games was really good. Yes, the women’s team failed to clinch an Olympic berth in China, but I am sure they will do well in Ranchi.”
A keen observer and commentator, Jagbir felt the junior sides needed to do a lot more. “I personally feel the senior women’s side has a decent pool of players, and the coach would stick with them going into the Ranchi event,” he said. “Where I feel more work needs to be done is focus on the results of the junior and sub-junior sides. I am not very happy with results from the two junior World Cups. The juniors have to do well and then aim to become part of the senior side. Certainly, more attention needs to be paid to the youngsters who play in these important events.”
As for qualification for the Paris Olympics, Jagbir said the women’s team had a coach who commanded respect from the players – “Player feedback is positive,” he said.
There may have been some negativity about Schopman in the public domain recently, but she is a hands-on coach. She was very much part of the Tokyo Olympics as well, when Sjoerd Marijne was the head coach. In that sense, she had been groomed for the job.
From whatever one has seen, the coach gets along well with Savita, Vandana and the other players. In terms of exposure, the trip to Valencia is very well timed. To compete against strong European sides will be a stern test. And that, in turn, will serve as the right preparation for the big event in Ranchi at the start of the new year.