Talented Indian Hockey team needs good game plan: Jamie Dwyer
Legendary Australian forward Jamie Dwyer feels that Indian Hockey team has naturally talented players who just need good game plan to be among the top teams of the world.
|Last Updated: Feb 21, 2014, 06:15 PM IST|Source: PTI
New Delhi: Legendary Australian forward Jamie Dwyer feels that Indian Hockey team has naturally talented players who just need good game plan to be among the top teams of the world.
"The Indian team has very naturally talented players and among them Rupinder Pal Singh has impressed me the most. They also have a very good coach so I`m curious to see how they will go this year," Dwyer told PTI Bhasha.
"I think Indian team must have a very good game plan for the different opponents against whom they will play. They need to prepare better than they have ever prepared before, physically and mentally," he added when asked about his suggestions for Sardar Singh and co.
He also feels that Hockey is gaining its ground in India and it is good to see huge crowd in stadiums in smaller centres.
"Taking hockey into rural areas in India is great. I think the champions trophy this year in Bhubaneswar will attract huge crowds," said the experienced forward, who won the FIH player of the year award five times.
Earlier, several top coaches including Australian coach Ric Charlesworth have criticized the lack of spactators during FIH tournaments in Delhi.
"Hockey is gaining its ground in India. The numbers are showing that it is. Roughly 22 million people watch each game of the HHIL this year compared to 8 million last year. Huge increase it is," said the captain of table-topper JP Punjab Warriors.
Post HHIL, the legendary Australian striker will be busy with his national team as it is an important year for Hockey where Australia will try to defend WC and CWG titles.
"It`s a huge year for hockey. The World Cup is going to be an amazing event and I hope Aussies play well and make it to the final. Commonwealth games will also be great. Both events will be awesome and I`m really looking forward to them," Dwyer said denying any plans to retire in near future.
"Not sure yet when that day will come. At the moment, I`m concentrating on improving my game and enjoying my hockey," said the 35-year-old veteran when asked about his retirement plans.
He is also happy with Punjab`s performance and praised drag-flicker Sandeep Singh whom they bought this year from Mumbai Magicians.
"I`m very satisfied with the performance so far but there is still a lot of room for improvement. I hope we play well this weekend. Sandeep has played his role well in our team. He is scoring Corners and he is defending well," he said.
He also said that second season of the league has been better than the inaugural one.
"This one has been better by a long way. It has been promoted and marketed better. The tv footage is better and the addition of a new team ( Kalinga Lancers) has also been great," said the Olympic and WC gold medalist.
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.