Craig Fulton. PTI
Rajgir: The only takeaway from the scoreboard for India coach Craig Fulton was ‘Indian won the match’. The other detail - the number of goals scored by each side - isn’t something he likes dwelling on, the South African stressed after India’s 3-2 win against Japan at the Asia Cup in Rajgir on Sunday.
“If we had won 8-0 today, we’d still get three points. If we won by one goal, we would still get three points.
“But I look behind the results. I look at the process of what we’re trying to do, where we’re going, and then we need to just be super humble and super patient, but keep working hard, and hopefully it’ll turn out well.”
In a more sharp display of hockey, than they did during their opener against China, India kept the Japanese at bay. The methodical attack structure seemed to be working until the final stages. More misses than hits but Fulton is unperturbed.
“You know, they (Japan) play a low man-to-man and it’s difficult to break it down, and you have to be super patient. But the structure is the first prize. If we get that right, then it gives us opportunities. And then PC’s were the way to go. But the first goal, I was really happy with.”
Dilpreet Singh in both the games has shown the right intent inside the ‘D’ but has performed without reward. Speaking about the younger strikers coming of age, the 50-year-old, again, chooses to remain patient.
“All of the strikers are just about there. It’s coming. It’s like you’ve just put the roast in the oven, and now you’re just waiting for it to come good. They’re doing well. We’re playing with the plan. It’s a bit frustrating for everyone that we can’t finish what we start, and we’d love to do that for the crowd, but it’ll come.”
India’s final Pool A encounter will be against minnows Kazakhstan. It is the only contest in the tournament, Fulton and his men could afford to experiment or probably take the foot off the pedal a tad bit. But will they?
“Well, we're going to do the same thing that we've always done and we just want to make sure that we share the ball, that we're not just too direct or lose our shape and our structure.”
Is the coach giving a number as a goal target? “Not at all. Because then you limit them,” he signed off.