INTERVIEW | India needs to do well in the first three matches in Paris: Herman Kruis

Hockey India's High Performance Director Herman Kruis focuses on developing Indian coaches for the future of young players.

As Hockey India’s High Performance Director, Herman Kruis is on a mission to develop Indian coaches. He strongly believes that the future of young players who dream of representing the country depends on the local coaches who train the beginners.

The 68-year-old Dutch felt that it’s the responsibility of the coaches to teach the basics right to the young players. “When I see the National u-21 Indian players hit the ball in a wrong manner, I don’t blame them I blame the coaches,” he said.

On the India men’s team’s chances at the Paris Olympics, the Dutch said there are 6-7 teams that are medal contenders, and it is imperative that India wins its first three matches and gets a head start before it thinks of winning a medal.

In this conversation with The Hindu, the Dutchman, who was in Chennai for a Coaches Clinic during the Tamil Nadu Schools League, spoke on a variety of issues including the need to develop Indian coaches, the need for water-based pitches, and the importance of having a good grassroots structure. Excerpts

The teams are preparing in Bengaluru now. We have around 40 players in each group. We try to make good programs for the teams. We have a lot of plans for the boys and girls. In August, Australian teams will come to India to play a few matches. In May this year, the girls had played with Den Bosh club team in The Netherlands. We will play two matches each with Germany and Belgium and then play with a few club teams in The Netherlands.

When I compare this team with the previous one that played in the World Cup, I see we are closing the gap in technical and physical ways. In my opinion, we have a lot of talent in India. The talent is technically good but not as much with tactical. We are going step by step. Now the game has become physical and the stress is more on physical. Teams like Australia and the ones in Europe are more physical. We don’t have to copy them. We need to take the best from them and get the best out of us.

Why should I be under pressure? As the High Performance Director, I try to help everyone, am busy developing and supporting hockey. I expect our staff who are self-supporting, with assistance from me, to improve hockey at the grassroots. It is very easy to say that we have to win a medal in Paris Olympics. I don’t understand when people say that Indian hockey has improved. What about the other teams? Do you have a good view about Germany and Belgium? Do you say that they are not as good as India? I watched the Pro League and I can tell you that it will be very close. I don’t know why some say, ‘we will win a medal’.