I remember way back in my school times, people used to crowd outside colour tv showrooms to watch hockey matches India was playing. Just as they do for cricket. Now nobody would even know that there is a match on. Even in school we used to be very enthusiastic about the game. All of us had hockey sticks and we played the game wherever we had some empty space. I wonder whether kids still do the same. At least my son has not pestered me for a hockey stick, like I used to do to my dad. And I remember, we used to be very upset when India lost a match, especially to our subcontinental neighbours. Maybe the Indian team did not do themselves a good turn by losing too many matches, that too by huge scorelines like 0 - 6, 1 - 7, etc., etc. It was somewhere during those times that cricket edged out hockey from the mind of the public. And even if they didn't win every match, our cricketers haven't disappointed us by much. They have beaten every team there was to be beaten. Not so for our hockey team. Maybe as a first step, they can make us proud by finishing in the top 4 or 5 teams in the upcoming world cup, instead of 10th or 12th. All the best to you fellows!
Re: Popularity of hockey has come down a long way
by vinod on Jan 14, 2010 04:06 PM
Suhas you must remember cricketers play only four or five countries of some repute every now and than and therefoer after so many years have now come of age.But in hockey there are teams from far east from japan, korea than malaysia china, from S.America and Europe where cricket is not played.Truly hockey is more uiversal.Any achievement from tje team will be more globally recognised
i think world hockey should arrange a tournament like touring foreign countries and playing there like cricket. this way i feel hockey can gain good popularity
Its well planned drama from hockey players and Hockey india to get money from sahara...
Hell in the worls,who is bothered about this so called game...anyway very good drama to get the attention of other people...better go and beg in roads..
SHOULD BE CHANGED. WHEN THE BALL IS IN THE CIRCLE MOST OF THE TIMES THE TEAMS ARE TRYING TO GET A PENALTY COPRNER ( BY HITTING THE BALL ON LEG) RATHER THAN SCORING FIELD GOAL.
Hockey in India is Dead. All Federations are just den of looters. Guvment baboos and politicos use them for private purposes. There are no players but chamchas and bunch of nowhere to go people.
Re: Hockey in India is Dead
by target on Jan 14, 2010 12:27 PM
i heard that all federation have the facilities to send people to other country on pretext of playing from there they run away and work there . they will earn 1 lakh per month while our so called player will get 25000 per month.
INDIAN HOCKEY HAS NOT WON ANY MAJOR TOURNAMENTS RECENTLY ..NOT EVEN ENTERED THE FINALS. AUSTRALIA, HOLLAND, GERMANY, BRITAIN,ARGENTINA, PAKISTAN,SPAIN AND NEWZEALAND ARE FAR FAR BETTER TEAMS TAHN INDIA. THIS ISSUE SHOULD NOT HAVE SOLVED. THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER FOR INDIAN HOCKEY. NOW WE CAN SEE INDIA PLAYING FOR 8TH OR 9TH POSITION IN WORLDCUP.
Re: FOR WHAT THEY ARE GOING FOR WORLDCUP??
by swaroop tagore on Jan 14, 2010 12:16 PM
dont be sarcastic neha what is the union government doing to promote the naational game when asro-turf was introduced in 1976 indian government got one in 1983 after a gap of 7 years .if we are not prone to progress what can you expect from a team thats cartwheeling backwards,we dont want hockey but want the players to get a podium finish for the nation its our attitude and not the players who are the cause for the systematic rotting of the game.india may not have won a tournament but players like dhanraj pillay who have been criticised often have won the player of the champions trophy which is by and large tougher than olympics and world cup.neha you need to appreciate the team that has performed too well under adverse conditions.first ask your government to wake up the hockey players of yesteryear have done enough service for this nation by winning olympics and the world cup?is is not ur duty to pay them back and support them in an hour od distress?hockey administration is zero in this country we need a gud reasonable sports minister who can comprehend and bring back the lost laurels in hockey for the nation.jus provide the palying surfaces and jobs for players they will show results dont treat them like cattle.
Re: Re: FOR WHAT THEY ARE GOING FOR WORLDCUP??
by target on Jan 14, 2010 12:24 PM
brother swaroop can u explain, pakistan has same kind of problem even than they beat australia and holland or they give tough fight to them.. why why
Re: Re: FOR WHAT THEY ARE GOING FOR WORLDCUP??
by PINAKI CHAKLADAR on Jan 14, 2010 12:17 PM
So, who's responsible for that. Today, a beggar in Cricket gets a princely sum paid compared to the measly 25K paid to the top Hockey players. With this kind of payback, what else do you think the Hockey players will earn for you - World Championships?? The whole bloody setup sucks!!!
Re: Re: Re: FOR WHAT THEY ARE GOING FOR WORLDCUP??
by neha on Jan 14, 2010 12:21 PM
talent does not depend on pay.Dhanraj pillai also played hockey for india. he got less pay. but was a class player.
if suppose tomorrow hockey gains popularity like cricket and if INDIAN HOCKEY FEDERATION get huge sponsorship and T V rights than i think politician like sharad pawar will come out from nowhere and take the control only to earn . so let us wait for that day.
