Aslam`s comment about seniors hurt me: Dilip Tirkey
Former India hockey captain Dilip Tirkey on Wednesday said he was upset with ad-hoc selection committee member Aslam Sher Khan`s comments on senior players during the Punjab Gold Cup in Chandigarh.
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New Delhi, Feb 11: Former India hockey captain Dilip Tirkey on Wednesday said he was upset with ad-hoc selection committee member Aslam Sher Khan`s comments on senior players during the Punjab Gold Cup in Chandigarh.
"I really felt very bad when I heard about the comments,
especially at a time when all the players were focussing on
the tournament. It was not wise on a selector`s part to give
such statement in the middle of a tournament," Tirkey told
reporters on the sidelines of the national team`s felicitation
here today.
Tirkey said the senior players let their performance
speak for them in the tournament.
"As far as I think, all the senior players -- Deepak
Thakur, Ignace Tirkey, myself and Prabhjot Singh -- all played
satisfactorily in the tournament," he said.
Aslam Sher Khan had created a stir in the middle of the
Punjab Gold Cup, saying the selectors would take a call on the
future of the senior players depending on their performance in
the four-nation tournament.
Aslam`s comments did not go down well with
coach-in-charge Harendra Singh either, who questioned the
timing of the comment which, he alleged, affected the morale
of the team.
Sports Minister MS Gill also chided Khan for his
"unnecessary comments" and advised the selectors to
concentrate on their job.
On a different note, Tirkey, the most experienced player
in the side, lauded his teammates for their impressive showing
in the Punjab Gold Cup but felt defensive lapses and conceding
soft short corners remained major concerns for the side.
"We played attacking hockey in the Punjab Gold Cup which
resulted in plenty of field goals and we would like to
continue that. But we have to work on our defence. We have
unnecessarily conceded many short corners and we have to work
on that area," the veteran defender said.
Asked about retirement plans, Tirkey said he would
continued playing as long as his body allowed.
"I guess I will play one year more but everything depends
on fitness. If I remain fit without any injuries then I hope
to play in 2010 World Cup," Tirkey said.
Bureau Report
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