Millions of steps to take, says hockey coach Harendra Singh

By Qaiser Mohammad Ali

NEW DELHI: While terming the recent Azlan Shah Cup triumph as “one of the million steps…” being taken towards regaining Indian hockey's lost glory, coach-in-charge Harendra Singh is now aiming to help guide India to a hat-trick of Asia Cup titles next month in Malaysia.

The preparations for the tournament began in Bhopal on Monday as the 28 probables got down working at the Sports Authority of India Centre. The tournament will be held in Kuantan from 9 to 16 May.

“We started the camp today and 28 probables are in the camp,” Harendra told SportzPower from Bhopal. On India being on the verge of performing a hat-trick of Asia Cup titles, he said: “We should win it again.” India had won the title in 2003 in Kuala Lumpur and in Chennai in 2007.

India will have to remain highly motivated to win the Asia Cup, not just because they have just clinched the Azlan Shah Cup but also because they will not have the pressure of qualifying for the 2010 World Cup. Since New Delhi is the host of the World Cup, India automatically qualify for the game’s biggest tournament. Only the winner of the Asia Cup will make it to the World Cup.

Harendra said that although the team annexed the Azlan Shah title, there is scope to further work in all departments of the game. “I would not like to go into specific weaknesses of the team because everyone, even those teams who are not taking part in the Asia Cup, will come to know about it in this age of internet. I would only say that we can still improve,” he said.

Dwelling on the gains from Azlan Shah Cup, Harendra said that his players benefited from the new self-pass rule, which was implemented in Ipoh, Malaysia. “We gained from the self pass rule and players like Arjun (Halappa), Tushar (Khandekar) and Sardara (Singh) made good use of it. The players were comfortable with the new rule. They effectively become the first line of defence when they have the ball,” he said.

As per the new rule, players can touch the ball twice after taking a free hit. The idea is to cut down on time wasting tactics. The rule becomes mandatory for all tournaments from 1 May – nine days before the Asia Cup – but it was implemented at the Azlan Shah Cup as it was in optional mode then.

Harendra had predicted that India would win the Azlan Shah Cup. But that does not mean that he would be complacent in Kuantan. “Azlan win was one of the millions of steps that we have to take to regain glory,” he said.

Defending champions India are in Pool B along with Pakistan, China and Bangladesh while Pool A comprises South Korea, Japan, Malaysia and Sri Lanka.

While penalty corner specialist and winning captain Sandeep Singh is expected to retain his post, the Indian team will be announced either on Thursday or Friday. There could be some changes in the squad that went for the Azlan Shah Cup. Vikram Pillay (nose injury), V Raghunath (shoulder), Rajpal (examinations) and Deepak Thakur (examinations), who missed the tournament, could be back in the team.

Lots of Commonwealth Games money, too little time to use it
(SPECIAL)

By Qaiser Mohammad Ali

New Delhi: For the first time in Indian sports history, admit top sports officials, there is an embarrassment-of-riches kind of situation ahead of the 2010 Commonwealth Games (CWG) in Delhi. And some of them openly concede that the funds sanctioned for the teams’ preparations are so huge that there is a distinct possibility that a good part of Rs.678 crores budget would be returned to the government for not being utilised.

Although the budgeted money is not being directly given to the National Sports Federations (NFSs) and is also going to be used for upgradation of the Sports Authority of India (SAI) centres and their medical/scientific facilities, there is a consensus that federations are either struggling to formulate plans or have none to utilise the money at their disposal.

National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) secretary-general Baljit Singh Sethi candidly admitted that his federation doesn’t have plans to utilise all the funds allocated. “I have heard that Rs 97 crores have been allocated to shooting; it’s a very big amount. I don’t think we can spend the entire amount. If we can’t spend all of it by the CWG we will have to surrender the left over money. The only thing is that the sanction came too late and there is little time to use the money,” Sethi told Mumbai Mirror.

Concurring with Sethi, a top SAI official confirmed that some of the federations involved in CWG have no plans to utilise the funds.

Rahul Bhatnagar, joint secretary (international sports division) in sports ministry, who is overseeing teams’ preparations for the CWG, is glad what people like Sethi have to say. “I’m happy in the sense that we are able to help Indian sports with something that has never been done before. Out of Rs 678 crores, Rs 230-odd crores is meant for upgradation of scientific support at the SAI centres across the country and around Rs 100 crores has been earmarked for the upgradation of infrastructure at the 10 SAI centres,” Bhatnagar said.

Besides, the funds are being distributed to the federations for athletes’ training, purchase of equipment and foreign trips etc. For instance, Rs 28 crores have been earmarked for men’s and women’s hockey. India will take part in all 18 disciplines, including elite athletes with disability (EAD), at CWG.

NSFs will also receive separate, much enhanced funds for organising international competitions before the CWG while coaches and the support staff will also get unprecedented hike in wages.

For instance NFSs will receive Rs 1 crore—a fabulous jump from the previous Rs 12 lakh —for organising a World Cup/World Championship, and Rs.50 lakh—a jump from Rs.6 lakh—for Commonwealth/Asian Championship. “The financial assistance will, however, be subject to participation of at least six countries in an event,” says the special CWG scheme document.

Indian coaches, who have always been at loggerheads with SAI on salary and other issues, will have no complaints now. A chief coach is now entitled to a Rs 50,000 monthly salary and it can be enhanced by 10 percent from the second year of the scheme on the basis of performance, which will be assessed by the CWG Steering Committee. An assistant coach is entitled for Rs 30,000 and similar enhancement as the chief coach. Foreign coaches can now get up to $5,000 monthly and in “exceptional circumstances” they can get even more.

Athletes and coaches will now get Rs10,000 per head per year towards sports kits for attending training/coaching camps and participation in competitions in India.

On foreign trips, athletes and coaches will receive $40 per head as daily allowance and up to $60 will be spent on twin-sharing accommodation. Additionally, 25 percent DA will be given per day to meet the cost of incidentals. The air fare will also be borne by the government.

The scheme also gives out salary/fee structure of doctors (full time monthly salary Rs 50,000), physiotherapists, physiologists, psychologists, biomechanics, biochemists (all Rs 40,000), sports analysts and nutritionists /dieticians (Rs 30,000), masseurs/masseuse (Rs.20,000), and escorts for EAD (Rs.10,000).

The special scheme ends with the CWG, which will be held Oct 3-14 next year.
(This piece first appeared in Mumbai Mirror, Mumbai)