It is evident that the new Indian hockey coach is a quick learner. A week into his first camp with the India probables and Spaniard Jose Brasa has moved beyond namaste and shukriya — two words most foreigners pick up in their first few days in India.

Brasa’s heavily-accented chants of “upar dekho (look up)” echo at the empty Shiv Chhatrapati Sports City on the outskirts of Pune as those dribbling on the astro-turf come to terms with the new coach, his new tactics and the new possibilities. The loud and repeated reminders are directed at those who fix their gaze on hockey sticks and remain blind to the possibilities of passing around them. This message, though, is somehow also relevant to the entire team. Brasa feels the talented bunch that he took under his wing recently deserves to be among the hockey elite, and so, should aim high.

But this is just one of the several fresh ideas Brasa has floated at the camp. “Skill is at the heart of Indian hockey and there is no dearth of skilful players in India. My aim is to combine their skills with efficient passing so we can enhance the team’s performance,” says the coach.

The stakes are high for Brasa, considering the timing of his appointment. With several inconsistent international outings behind and a few big opportunities ahead, Indian hockey is at a crossroads. There are three big tournaments coming up — a couple of them at home — and it means that Brasa and his tactics will be under the scanner very soon. The year 2010 could prove to be make-or-break time for Indian hockey, with the World Cup and the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, plus the Asian Games scheduled for December in Guangzhou figuring in a hectic international calendar.

... contd.