Where is the Indian team physically compared to European players? What measures are you taking to improve their fitness levels?

• The Europeans have a higher percentage of fast muscle fibres as compared to Indians. Fitness-wise, we are not at our best, but we are using a scientific approach to address this. We should be among the fittest Asian teams by the Asian Games in November 2010. We are waiting for equipment like heart rate monitors and lactic acid analysers to work out better plans.

What do you have to say about the available infrastructure?

• Most Indian pitches are made of polyethylene, while nylon 6/6 is considered the best material. We don’t have even one such pitch in India. The ones that we trained on in Pune are far from the best. The ball bobbles too much. Fast-running players tend to lose the ball and are in danger of getting seriously injured. Another problem is that the asphalt under the mat is not impermeable. This causes water to settle under the pitch. Also, high temperatures mean that using glue to attach pitches is not advisable as it melts and causes problems. Stitching the pitches together is a better idea.

Do you think you have enough time before the World Cup to develop the 10-midfielder plan?

• India are still playing with the age-old tradition of players in fixed positions. A change is necessary and the present bunch seems motivated enough to bring about this change. The new system is keeping in mind the Asian Games in November 2010. In the meantime, I don’t expect the changes to affect our performance during either the European tour in August or the Argentina tour later in the year. As for the World Cup (March 2010), the effects will differ from player to player.

If India do not perform well on the Europe tour, do you see the blame coming on to you?

• People who understand hockey know it takes time to build a team. If they are expecting results from the European tour, it is absolute nonsense. We will continue our regular training and work hard, but we are using that tour as a learning curve and don’t expect too many results.

What, in your opinion, should India do to dominate world hockey again?

• Mentally, the Indians are very strong and motivated. Having said that, in Kuantan during the Asia Cup, the team played with too much pressure. They need to learn to relax. We are looking to work on their activity and concentration levels.

We have had mercurial players like Dhyan Chand and Dhanraj Pillay. Do you see the absence of individual brilliance impairing the performance of the Indian team?

• I think each member of this team is individually brilliant. But we need to work on the basics to make them more complete players. Generally in the teams that I have coached so far, the problem has been the opposite — good basics but lacking individual skill. My job here is definitely easier.

Do you see your coaching regimen producing results for the London Olympics 2012?

• We are working towards a successful London 2012 but it is impossible to guarantee a gold medal. We should work hard to even have a 50 per cent chance of making the semi-finals. My aim for the World Cup and the Commonwealth Games is to win both. If we receive all the necessary equipment in time and practise as we have planned, we have a strong chance of winning the World Cup. It is not impossible to reach from 12th place to the best in the world in eight months.