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Big moments in sport warrant inspiration to come in some form or the other, be it for individuals or teams. For India’s junior hockey team, which won the 2016 World Cup, inspiration manifested itself in the form of coach Harendra Singh, who transformed himself into Kabir Khan from Bollywood film Chak De India to get his team going. Star forward Mandeep Singh, speaking to Sportskeeda, revealed the coach’s demeanor before the final.
“Harendra sir gave us a rousing speech and it was almost like the ‘sattar minute’ one from Chak De India. He told us that these 70 minutes matter more than any other and the whole country will be watching us. Sir told us that we need to win this final for our country and play top class hockey,” Mandeep said.
Mandeep, who will be playing for Delhi Waveriders in the 2017 Hockey India League, said that coach Harendra Singh played an invaluable role in making the team successful and leading them to the title. He also spoke about how the moral of the team was high and having a core group of players, who had been together for a number of years, helped in achieving their targets.
“Harjeet (Singh), Harmanpreet (Singh), Armaan Qureshi and a lot of others were a part of the core group that formed the Junior Hockey World Cup winning side. That is always a benefit and when I came to the team after my injury layoff, it did not take me long to adjust and the results were there for everyone to see,” he added.
In case you didn't know...
Indian junior hockey team coach Harendra Singh is known for being really inspirational and close to his players. Often in the past, Singh has made no qualms in making his feelings known to the media. A man who wears his heart on his sleeve, the man from Bihar will now be seen coaching Ranchi Rays in the Hockey India League and the same can be expected from him.
The heart of the matter
Mandeep Singh is one of India’s most prominent young forwards in hockey and a lot will be expected from him in the coming years. An indication of his prowess is reflected in the fact that he is already a part of the national setup and holds an important place in Roelant Oltmans’ scheme of things.
However, Mandeep knows that he will consistently have to score goals and play well to be in the thick of things. “The competition is really high when you are playing alongside international players and you are bound to raise your level of hockey. Things have really changed in India and players need to be top quality all the time, or else there is someone else waiting on the bench,” he said.
The young forward will play alongside the likes of Harjeet Singh, Rupinder Pal Singh and Santa Singh, in Hockey India League 2017 for Delhi Waveriders.
Sportskeeda’s take
Hockey India League 2017 is going to be really exciting in many ways, including and especially because of 2016 being sort of a watershed year for Indian hockey. The presence of players like Mandeep Singh, Harjeet Singh and Harmanpreet Singh alongside a coach such as Harendra Singh makes the sport a top class prospect.
