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Harinder, man on a mission

Hockey Junior World Cup : Coach wants to produce worldclass players
Last Updated 03 December 2016, 19:18 IST

 Whenever a major tournament is around the corner, talks surrounding the players and what one can expect of them on the playing field gathers momentum. And it’s no different this time. The Junior World Cup is less than a week away in Lucknow and an air expectancy is palpable.

While the players are busy sweating it out to fine tune their skills ahead of the tournament, there are a few who are relentlessly working in the background to ensure that the team is on track. And for India, that man is head coach Harinder Singh.

Known as India’s go-to man during crisis, the brightest example being him taking over the reins of the senior team when Jose Brasa quit after they failed to qualify for the 2008 Olympics, Harinder was once again handed another key responsibility in 2013. With a few players and three years in hand, he was asked to put together and prepare a team that will represent India at the Junior World Cup.

Three years are done and the World Cup is here, and one can say the Indian coach has done a good job, at least till now.

“I think I’ve done a good job. But is it really good? You’ll get to know only on the 18th (after the World Cup final),” said Harinder.

For someone who was forced to cut short his playing career for various reasons, Harinder found solace in coaching. In fact, it turned out to be a game changer for not only him, but also for the teams that the former Indian player, who has 43 international caps, coached.

So where does the Lucknow event rank for Harinder? “I think this (World Cup) is special. I have always dreamt of winning the World Cup. It didn’t happen during my playing days, but now I have a chance as the coach,” he stated.

On the face on it, the Indian team looks good. They’re technically sound, have the best of physique and can challenge the best. But is this team World Cup ready? “I think they’re. We’ve been together for a long time now, and the boys complement each other. Physically they’re strong, mentally they’re ready. We will give our best in every match we play,” a confident Harinder stressed.

Though the pain of not being able to prolong his playing career still lingers in, Harinder is not the one to dwell on the past for long. And now he has just one aim, to produce players who can take India to where it belongs on the World stage.

“It still hurts because I think I was better than the players who made it to the team then. I was thrown out and that’s why I started coaching. I may not be an Olympian, but I want to produce players who will put India back where it belongs,” he signed off.

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(Published 03 December 2016, 19:18 IST)

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