New Delhi: India coach Jose Brasa has asked
his boys to bottle up their emotions when they take on
traditional rivals Pakistan in their first match of the hockey
World Cup here on Sunday.
Wary that the usual hype and emotion that surround an
India-Pakistan match might distract his wards, Brasa said he
has advised the players to take it just as a normal match.
"I am not a fan of words like 'arch-rivals' (to describe
Pakistan). I have told the boys to take the match against
Pakistan just as a normal game and nothing else. I have told
them to cut off the emotional aspect and to focus on the
game," Brasa told a pre-tournament press conference here
today.
Insisting that there was no real hostility between the
players or coaches from both side, Brasa said, "We have very
good relations with the Pakistanis. Our players are very close
to their players and even the coaching staff have very good
relations."
The Spaniard said he and his players were not concerned
about off-field controversies and shadow of politics on the
India-Pakistan match.
"Sports should not be affected by politics. It should
rather help in forging friendship. But we are not concerned by
all that. We are focusing on doing well in the World Cup," he
said.
The experienced coach, who has an impressive CV having
managed many a top international sides, conceded India did not
have the right kind of build-up to the mega event.
"There were interruptions and problems but we overcame
all those. We are very strong mentally. Whatever off-field
controversies (happened), we left it behind. Past is past," he
declared.
Echoing captain Rajpal Singh, Brasa said the target for
his side was to reach the semifinal and take it from there.
"It is difficult to set targets because it is going to be
a tough competition. In this sport, even the best side can
lose anytime. But we want to fight hard and reach at least the
semifinals. It will be difficult but we want to give our best
shot. We want to be among the best," said Brasa, who took over
the Indian team coaching job in June 2008.
He listed three aspects of the game in which the Indians
has improved in his 21 month stint so far with them.
"Fitness of the players has improved a lot. We do a lot
of hard work on the fitness aspect. The team is fighting fit.”
"The second aspect is tactics with emphasis on man-to-man
marking. The Indian team had not paid much emphasis on this
aspect in the past but I am doing that," he said.
"The third is the build-up for attacks. We are working on
using the width of the field for building attacks, from the
flanks and from the centre of the field. This is different
from what Indian players have been doing in the past,"
explained Brasa.
Acknowledging that penalty corner conversion would be key
to winning games, Brasa said his side was not lacking in that
aspect of the game also.
"We have in Sandeep Singh one of the best drag-flickers.”
Then we have Diwakar Ram and Dhananjay Mahadik. So we have
three drag-flickers. We are also working on indirect methods
of taking penalty corners and many variations," he said.
Asked if he fears losing his job if the team flops in the
tournament, Brasa quipped, "Two months after I took up the job
I knew that I may lose job anytime. I don't have a house also,
I am just shifting from hotel to hotel in the last two months.
So I am ready anytime.”
PTI
First Published: Friday, February 26, 2010, 18:45