With a new coach and a relatively new captain, the Indian men’s hockey team are set to depart for their Asia Cup campaign in Bangladesh this month. After their last international outing, Hockey India sacked coach Roelant Oltmans and replaced him with the women’s team coach Sjoerd Marijne – who has never coached a men’s team.
Joining the men’s team less than a month before the Asia Cup, the former Dutch player is bringing a “more player-driven” approach to the squad.
India play their opening match against Japan on 11 October, followed by Bangladesh on 13 October before their last Pool A match against Pakistan. Though the cup has no bearing on India, who have already qualified for the 2018 World Cup, skipper Manpreet Singh said that India are aiming to finish first.
Furthermore, both captain and coach said that facing off against Pakistan is like playing against any other country. ‘We treat Pakistan like any other team. If we get emotional, our game plans will get spoilt,” Manpreet Singh told The Quint.
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