The Indian hockey team turned the clock backwards with their bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. The country had won six consecutive Olympic gold medals from 1928 to 1956, and was considered a hockey powerhouse back in the day. That purple patch faded after the eighth gold medal triumph in 1980.
It took 41 years to break the jinx in Tokyo.
Manpreet Singh, under whose leadership India restored pride on the hockey turf three years ago, feels the colour of the medal needs to change in the Paris Olympics, starting July 26. “Our people started believing in Indian hockey again as the medal in Tokyo came after 41 years. It was a dream come true. Hockey started getting a lot of love again, and it has pushed us to do better this time around,” he said before departing for the Pro League in Belgium and England.
Pro League, a boon before Paris 2024
Though India had a lacklustre outing in the five-match Test series in Australia, losing 5-0, Manpreet feels the Pro League will provide the platform to iron out the flaws before the showpiece event. “Our focus in the Australia tour was to win, but unfortunately, that didn't happen. We lost close games and we learned a lot from there. We can work on it before the Olympics. If we get a reality check before the Olympics, it helps us gauge where we can improve,” added the 31-year-old.
Manpreet will be appearing in his fourth Olympics in Paris Red Bull
Manpreet reasoned that the team needed to work on defence. “We were creating opportunities, but were not able to finish off games. We have to work on our defence. When you play against a top team, you must ensure not to give them opportunities. We have to be stronger in both attack and defence. Around 27 players went for the Australia tour, and we wanted most of the players to make an impression before the Olympics,” said the former captain, who will appear in Paris under Harmanpreet Singh’s captaincy.
India will play against reigning champions Belgium in the Pro League. Both nations are in Pool B in the Olympics. “When you play against these teams before, you get a fair idea about their strong and weak points. You get a whiff of their preparations. We will know what to do when we meet them at the Olympics. There are also Germany, England, and Argentina in the Pro League, and meeting them earlier will be great preparation,” said Manpreet.
The seasoned campaigner was all praise for head coach Craig Fulton, as he encourages players to try out new strategies. “Craig provides freedom to every player. He is aware of the skills and strengths of Indians, and he stresses strengthening the defence to win championships. He has a plan for every opponent, and he thinks out of the box,” informed Manpreet.
The new generation of hockey
Manpreet feels an Olympic gold medal can renew the sport in India among the new generation Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images
Manpreet will appear in his fourth Olympics, and he feels a gold medal can renew the sport in India among the new generation. “An Olympic gold can bring a lot of changes to Indian hockey. The history is rich, as we have won many medals in the past. It will not be easy as the sport has progressed with time, and consistency will be key. Hockey is a fast game now, and any team can spring a surprise on the other,” he said.
The senior pro feels the Indian hockey team has a promising future with young players Harmanpreet and Hardik Singh. “Both are great players, and these guys have developed themselves. Harman is a terrific drag-flicker, and Hardik brings a lot of energy into the midfield. There will be no dearth of intensity in Paris, we will not take any team lightly and we have to be competitive and focus on our recovery after the matches,” he said.
How can India prepare more hockey Olympians? Manpreet straightaway pointed out diet awareness and the much-awaited return of the Hockey India League. “All players should know what to eat and what not to, and be aware of injuries from the grassroots level. There should be good grounds and coaches. I have been hearing about the return of the HIL. It is a platform for youngsters. They can play with world-class players, and they can gain a lot of knowledge. How they live, what they eat, how they motivate themselves… You can learn about their mindset,” he signed off.
