In a way it is good that Ric has left. He was not wanted by anyone in the Hocckey admin. It was only at the behest of FIH that he was being thrust down the throats of Indian Hockey. Thee general feeling among all the administrators is that 'we have plenty of talent which only needs to be tweaked to to the Top'. I have watched some matches of the recently conluded champions Trophy as an Hockey lover ( although India was not involved). It was fairly obvious that other teams have come up leaps and bounds in terms of skill. Some of the skills they displayed will be hard for Indian players to emulate. As it is they stand nowhere in terms of Physique and Strenght of these european and Australian teams.India was great olympic Hockey nation when other countries barely knew how to play Hockey. Paradigm shift that Ric Charlseworth is talking about is one of the main issues that India Hockey is not ready to undertake.Other problem is the lack of Resources to support the kind of plan Ric envisages.
Re: OSTRICH AND INDIAN HOCKEY
by Gold Member on Dec 05, 2010 12:44 PM
I would have to disagree with you on many levels. firstly, i don't know what or who specifically you had in mind when you said that indian athletes 'stand nowhere in terms of physique and strength'. If we do, then I'm so thankful to Dhyan Chand's parents for providing him with such outstanding genetics and nutrition.
In the 1950s and 60s when indian football was one of the best in asia and not too far behind for an emerging country in world football, despite the fact that the athletes played barefoot, we didnt lack strength and physique did we(mind you back then the sport was way more physical and the ball itself was capable of giving you a brain haemorage if you headed it too much). you say that when india 'was a great olympic hockey nation other teams didnt know how to play hockey'. the problem with this argument is that india was a powerhouse in world hockey from around 1928 to say 1985. so according to your argument, the rest of the world miraculously managed to learn hockey(or drastically improve in terms of 'skill and physique') in 10-15 years, while our skills waned and our athletes quickly evolved into short skinny people.
Re: OSTRICH AND INDIAN HOCKEY
by Gold Member on Dec 05, 2010 01:08 PM
another thing that might interest you. This is Ric Charlesworth's opinion: "If hockey is played in Australia today, it is all because of India. Many Anglo-Indians migrated to Australia after the partition of India in 1947. The Pearce brothers, Eric, Julian, Mel and Gordon Pearce, migrated from Lucknow to Perth after independence, and have all represented Australia in the Olympics. They were pioneers of hockey in Australia. It is why I owe it to India for bringing in contect with this game.
“Eric played in 1956, '60 and '64, Gordon played in 1956 and '60, Mel played in 1956, and Julian played in 1960 and '64. Eric's daughter Colleen continued the tradition, representing Australia in the women's competition in the 1984 Los Angeles Games. An officer from Mumbai police, who migrated to Australia, coached the Australian team that won a medal in the 1968 Mexico Olympic Games."
THe resources are very much available. i think the reason why re're not at the top has nothing to do with skill/[physique/talent but entirely to do with initiative, planning and investment, all of which neither SAI or the IHF, or any other bureaucracy plagued body in india has any clue about. "I do not promise a medal to India but can make sure that India is back in the top four bracket within four-year term." The man knows hockey better than any one else in charge of india. pretty much every team he's coached and captained has won
Charlesworth quits....Let him.. Who cares??... I hope many Indians will be ashamed to call hockey as our national game.... Indians have made a fool of themselves by their disastrous play in recent years...Unless and until Indian games are kept away from politics there will be no significant development in Indian sports...
RE:Who cares ?????
by Nadhan on Jul 12, 2008 05:02 AM
Well do not forget we were a reigning champions of yester years. The question is why did our standards fall? The answer partly lien in your comment that is politics and part is due to the negligence. I will ask you a question how often do you watch hockey ??? answer would be very rare ? why since you donot get to watch it on TV.on top of it the infrastructure is completely ruined, how may schools and colleges have hockey grounds these days??
So instead of feeling ashamed of it being our National sport think what can be done to raise its standard, not just the Hockey all other sports.
And mind you with all these superstars and enormous support and infrastructure in cricket we are not able to lift the world cup recently.
This is true and is applicable to all organisations within India or having their offices in India. Employees work under tremendous pressure and expectations are unrealistic.
Seems like nothing has changed at the top. When IHF was disbanded, there seemed to be a glimmer of hope, perhaps a new era was emerging over the horizon. As it turned out it was the same old carry on. The whole psychie of the country is wrong, it seems like people at the top like to live in Cockooland. It is a fact that Hockey has changed and we have to change with it. We can regain past glory, but only if the will and fair play is there. Ric could have helped India to the top. I keep hearing the word Olympians..Olympians.. But that is is living in the past ...these olympians have little knowledge of today's game. There managerial skills are virtually zero. The only positive contribution they can make is coaching at regional level. Look at China they probably have 100 athletes who have aspired to play hockey and in no time at all have displaced India. Where has that 80 years of World class Indian hockey gone? There is no pride, no discipline and it is shameful the number of times poverty is pleaded. India is a growing economy with burgeonig middle class, well that is the impression that comes across. That being so, surely we can have a proper setup with professional coaches, infra structure and so forth. If Ric had been given a freehand in developing Indian hockey, we would most probably been playing in Beijing. I am sure i am not alone, when i say that like other diehard fans that having followed since one was born, the last 30 years have been a real pain. I hope R
it must also the responsibility of the sports administrators,mostly the politicians who head most of the sports bodies in india.the politicans are making lives miserable for the coaches and supporting staff by not paying their dues,he who has not even played a single match for india heads the governing bodies.is it not like showing disregard for the great indian players who has played in oplympics.why dont their advices be taken?it seems there is no scope for a complete revival of our hockey management in the near future.only former players must head the sports governing bodies in any sport,be it cricket or hockey or football or any other sport or game.it is shameful on the path of IHF not to pay dues to the legendary charlesworth.it's high time that dirty,moral less,selfish,greedy politicians leave the future of HOCKEY to former players.make them autonomous and independent,help them generate revenues.WE NEED HOCKEY TO REGAIN THEIR GLORIOUS PAST.IHF admins get down from ur posts.honour charlesworth.dont make ridicule of urself.
WELL SERVE THEMFUCKING RIGHT.WESTERN COUNTRIES TOOK A BEAUTIFUL ,ENTERTAINING AND SKILLFUL GAME LIKE HOCKEY AND TURNED IT AROUND INTO A "HYDE" LIKE VERISON OF THE ORIGINAL MAKING IT MORE PHYSICAL AND GENERALLY UGLY.INDIA AND PAKISTAN PLAY HOCKEY LIKE BRAZIL PLAY FOOTBALL,THE BEAUTIFUL WAY.IF WESTERN COUNTRIES ARE LOOKING TOWARDS INDIA TO SAVE HOCKEY FROM DECLINE THEY NEED TO INTRODUCE SWIFT CHANGES THAT BRINGS BACK THE EARLIER APPEAL OF THE GAME
RE:BOO HOO ,NOW ALL THE WORLD'S CRYING ABT THE FUTURE OF HOCKEY
by rosamma mathew on Jul 11, 2008 10:07 PM
who likes to fucken see long drives and penalty corners ?fuckthat we want to see more field goals,individual skill,dribbling.I didn't watch a single game of EURO 2008,boring ass games.European club soccer is only popular because of legalised betting
RE:BOO HOO ,NOW ALL THE WORLD'S CRYING ABT THE FUTURE OF HOCKEY
by sony kalloor on Jul 11, 2008 10:24 PM
Those who want to see only skill GO TO CIRCUS .. WE WATCH MATCHES TO SEE THE WINNERS ... lOSSERS ALWAYS HAVE EXCUSES ... HAHHAHAH
RE:BOO HOO ,NOW ALL THE WORLD'S CRYING ABT THE FUTURE OF HOCKEY
by Singha on Jul 11, 2008 09:39 PM
arrant nonsense. Brazil still wins world cup despite power taking over the game.
If This is the condition of IHF, Thre is no possibility of revival of Hokey in this country. The politics in sports, officials dominating the proceedings and no intrest in th actual sports, I feel India can not win a game.Better to avoid even participate in a Tounament.
