From December 6-14 the city of Bhubaneswar will celebrate its most important sporting event — the 35th edition of the Hockey Men’s Champions Trophy.
The world’s eight best teams will play in this emerging hockey hub. The prospects are mouth-watering: World champions and Olympics medallists Australia, Olympics Champions Germany, World Cup and Olympics medallists the Netherlands, World Cup medallist Argentina, Olympics and World Cup semi- finalists England and Asian champions India will be in the fray.
What are the teams’ chancesIJ In 2014 Germany failed to reach the medal round in the World league finals and the World Cup. But Germany also has three Olympics and two world titles.
Recent hiccups aside, Germany has a history of playing disciplined hockey, with an ability to perform at its best in major tournaments.
Fatigue after the Euro championships and injury to midfielder Moritz Fuerste may have caused Germany’s 5th place finish in the 2014 World Cup, but with sufficient recovery time, the team will be hungry to make its customary impact.
Australia has been a top 3 team for a long time, and has been the best in recent years. After winning the 2014 World Cup Australia is rebuilding, and new coach Graham Reid terms the squad “inexperienced.”
The recent 1- 3 series loss to India is explained by the fact that Reid had introduced six debutants into a team which had played together only for 5 days. He has brought 3 new players to the Champions Trophy. Yet, Australia has an awesome recent record, a team that pulverizes the opposition into submission.
Australia will be boosted by its 13 Champions Trophy titles- the best record by any team.
The Netherlands has silver medals in the most recent editions of the Olympics, the World Cup and the Champions Trophy.
New coach Max Caldas says that it is difficult to assess his wards when the opposing teams are also in transition. In the build up to the next Olympics cycle the team has a new programme, staff and players. Caldas has been trying out a larger pool of players, and it is difficult to say where the team stands in relation to the rest, until it is tested. With 8 Champions Trophy titles the Netherlands will be a strong contender for gold.
The Dutch revel in attacking high- scoring hockey but defence will be key to a title victory.
Belgium was recently voted the breakthrough team of the year. It has seen steady ascension, winning the 2013 Euro Championships and finishing 5th in the london Olympics, the 2012 Champions Trophy and the 2014 World Cup.
This is the result of long- term development. With Tom Boon and John-John Dohmen Belgium has world-class players, and very good medal prospects. With luck, it could even win the Champions Trophy.
England has 4th place finishes in the 2012 Olympics and the 2014 World Cup.
Argentina has a Champions Trophy bronze medal in 2008. With 3 Champions Trophy titles Pakistan has the capacity to surprise, even though player disputes over salaries have distracted the team from preparation. None of these teams can be counted out.
History does not favour India, with only one bronze medal from 13 Champions Trophy appearances.
India stood fourth in 1983, 1996, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2012. With coach Terry Walsh leaving the team midway into the preparation an unsettling feeling might hurt it’s prospects.
But even though former coach Michael Nobbs had similarly left in the build up to the 2013 Asia Cup, High Performance Director Roelant Oltmans had won India a silver medal. Could he conjure a surpriseIJ
The best approach for India is to enjoy the game, and not play under pressure. The coaching staff rightly speaks of process rather than results. With an improving management structure India is becoming a tournament hub.
After hosting the 2013 Junior World Cup and the 2014 World league Finals, and now the Champions Trophy, India has been allotted the 2018 World Cup. Being one of the world’s top three hockey tournaments, the Champions Trophy has history and aura, and the novelty of the new format of 4 quarters. This is only the third time that India is hosting the Champions Trophy, both previous editions having been hosted in Chennai but Bhubaneswar has never hosted a tournament of such stature. Crowd support can be assured at the 5,000 capacity Kalinga Stadium. But how will the crowds respond to this splendid showIJ
Watching the best hockey in the world also requires good manners. So, it will be important to appreciate good play, and not just by the Indian team.
India will be the third lowest ranked team, an outsider for medals. The real star value will come from the vaunted teams like Australia, the Netherlands and Germany. But Indian spectators have a poor record of appreciating good hockey, unless India is playing the match.
So, let us celebrate the hockey, rather than obsessing about India.
Jitendra Nath Misra is an Indian Foreign Service officer and is currently India’s ambassador to Portugal. The views expressed are his own, not those of the Government of India. He can be reached at jnmisra@hotmail.com.