Drag-flicker Vokkaliga Ramachandra Raghunath was adjudged Player of the Tournament in the recent Asia Cup in Malaysia where India finished second. He chats up with Abhishek Purohit
Being named ‘Most Outstanding Player of the Tournament’ of the Asia Cup, would’ve been like a dream come true.
Yes, it was a good achievement for me on a personal note. I played well, scored six goals and helped my team perform better. I would have been really happy had we won the tournament and got a World Cup berth. I always believe that team’s success is of topmost priority. The happiness of winning a medal has slightly diminished as we have not qualified for the WC directly and will have to wait for the official confirmation till the Asia/Oceania results in November.
Your thoughts on the overall performance of the team in Asia Cup.
We played good hockey right from our first game against Oman to the final against South Korea. Each member of the side played fantastic hockey. It was a good team effort and we gelled well as an unit. Youngsters rose to the occasion and played with spirit. We had to raise our game and I believe we did it well on most occasions.
You beat the South Koreans in the group game but lost to them in the final. What was the difference between the two gamesIJ
It was a new day and a new game. In the final, we couldn’t get on top of the opposition. In the first half, they pressurised us with two goals. But after the break we showed our fighting spirit and scored three quick goals to plough our way back into the game. I would say we couldn’t utilise on chances that came our way and things didn’t go as per our expectations.
You were one of the few members of the team which lost to England in the 2008 Beijing Olympics qualifier. Was was going through your mind going Asia Cup which had similar stipulations to 2008IJ
Yes, I was in the team in 2008 but I have moved on from those times. I was not thinking about that and solely focusing on preparing for the tournament. Infact as a team, we were only thinking of winning the Asia Cup though we were aware of the qualification process.
Michael Nobbs left the coaching job just six weeks prior to the event while Roelant Oltmans took over. So, preparation-wise, was it difficult for the team to change according to coaching stylesIJ
There was just a slight change in the process of how we played and trained. Oltmans was with us as the High Performance Manager and he had a fair idea about the team. He is an experienced coach so it was not that difficult. He did a wonderful job in six weeks. He ensured that we get the combination right. Our training staff also laboured a lot so that the youngsters could fit in the team.
You made your debut back in 2005 as a 17-year old. Then, you had to fight for a place in the team and were under the shadow of Jugraj Singh and Sandeep Singh. Then, you got dropped from the team but now you are an established player and the preferred drag-flicker. How do you see that role does it put extra pressureIJ
I just want to continue learning and improve day by day. As a team member I always want to help my team perform better and that has not changed from the time I was a junior to now when I am a senior in the side. Now, I take responsibility when we enter the ground, want to be consistent and help the younger players. I don’t think about pressure because you have to make most of the responsibilities and opportunities given to you. I also understand the game better now and believe I need to work on my defending skills.
You were also the vice-captain for a long time before goalkeeper and another senior player PR Sreejesh was handed over the job. Did you feel bad about itIJ
No, not really. Again, in a team, it does not matter. It was a change based on the normal rotational policy. Me, other seniors like our captain Sardar (Singh), (SV) Sunil, Sreejesh are quite close to each other and are good friends. Together we try to make our team better.
What is the next assignment for the teamIJ
Winning the Asian Champions Trophy is our next target, the tournament will be held in November.