RIC CHARLESWORTH
Former Australian hockey player and coaching great; technical adviser, Indian Hockey
‘India needs to raise its coaching standards’
India’s failure to qualify for the Olympics is very disappointing. It is a big shock for the sport, but let’s be honest, it has been coming for some time. But looking ahead, it is imperative that we look at what has happened as a catalyst for good change, take it as the point from where things can’t get worse, and can only get better. But hoping doesn’t serve the purpose.
The absence of long-term planning has been the bane of Indian hockey for very long now. Now, that India have not qualified for Beijing, we need to focus on the London Games that will be held four-and-a-half years from now. If you can achieve something in between now and 2012, it will be great. But the focus has to be absolute and always on London, because that can be the only real answer to this debacle.
India needs to pool in all its resources and raise its coaching standards. It is in dire need of a very strong leadership, who will put in place a plan and stick to it throughout.
The International Hockey Federation’s ‘Promoting Indian Hockey’ programme needs to be adhered to. The team needed more exposure and experience ahead of the qualifiers. There were other things that needed to be rectified, and through this programme I was in the process of identifying them. It’s a long haul ahead, but India will come out of it, if it is committed to doing what is best for itself.

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