We cant qualify for semis in olympics for obvious reason that all top teams play there. WC also is distinct dram. We hardly qualify to even play in champions trophy even if we do by virtue of hosting it we come 5th or 6th in 6 team tournament.
This is not new. People are saying hockey is back on track slowly. No way. Winning Aisa cup is no big deal as pakistan has even become worse team but give us fight whenever we pay them and even beat us. South Korea is tough nut to break and teams like Japan and Malaysia give us good fight. Those who are saying India are saying India is making progress must see our record against team like spain, holland, australia, germant, belgium, argentina, even new zealand in recent times. They beat us 4 times in 5 match. Infact I have not seen India beating Australia in major tournament. In 2000 we let last minute goal to Poland and couldn't make it semis. That was most close we got. Before that in 1988 olympic we lost to England 3-1 the match which we need to win to make to semis. 1984 in final group match we played goal-less draw with Germany and hence couldn't make to semis. 1992, 1996 we finished lowly 7th and 11th. Same story in WC. Things went worst in this century. Now we are back to 6th rank but other team still beat us consistently in major tournament. We normally win in series, or four nation tournament which probably other teams use to test their bench strength.
Then people tell me why not watch hockey. To see them lose????
