Players' obsession is only to win: Michael Nobbs

New Delhi - India’s hockey coach Michael Nobbs says the one good thing about the present lot of players is that they are neither euphoric nor weighed down by history. Their obsession happily is “only to win.”

Nobbs, who has a decent record since taking over the reins of the team a year ago, feels the odd victory over the countries in the top five in the world is nice but India should be doing so more often and for that it should be playing them regularly.

The Indian team under his charge has won the Asian Champions Trophy, finished second in the Champions Challenge, topped the Olympic qualifiers and took the bronze in the Azlan Shah Cup where the field included five teams India can expect to play in the London Games.

“They are neither euphoric nor weighed down by the glorious past of Indian hockey. These boys know only to win. So it will be very difficult for me to predict where India would finish in the Olympics. The preparation is a work in progress and the boys are showing signs of improvement every day,” Nobbs told IANS in an interview from Pune where the team is training at the Balewadi Sports Complex.

Nobbs believes playing the world’s top five teams – Australia, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and Britain — regularly will surely restore the old order in world hockey when India were among the elite club of countries.

“We have to win against the top five teams on a regular basis and that alone will change things in Indian hockey for better. We still have some way to go to get there and we have to plan it all meticulously.”

Nobbs said the victory against Olympic hosts Britain in the bronze-medal play-off match at the recent Azlan Shah Cup showed they could stand up to the Europeans.

“The win against Britain was very important because we haven’t beaten a top European team for a long time. The win will keep them in good stead ahead of the Olympics,” he said.

India are clubbed in pool B at the Olympics with Germany, the Netherlands, South Korea, New Zealand and Belgium and Nobbs realises there is little room for errors against such strong opponents.

Asked if his boys have the ability to match the European teams in terms of fitness, he said: “We have improved a lot in terms of fitness and I am confident that the boys can match the best in the world. They have been put through high-altitude stimulation training here and I am pretty happy with their physical condition. I think our exercise physiologist David John has done a great job with the team.”

Nobbs, however, laments that his players are not powerfully built like their European counterparts.

“I wish the Indian players had some more power. When we took over, the players were 10-18kg lighter than the European players. We have worked hard to reduce the difference. The New Zealanders are the best example for Indian players. The Kiwis are very strong and today they are now one of the fitter teams in world hockey,” he said.

The Australian was confident that his players, with their all-round skills, will put up a tough fight against the European teams.

He said another good thing about the present India team is that it is not carrying much of the baggage that was there when India last played at the Olympics in Athens in 2004.

The 16-member squad has only Ignace Tirkey and Sandeep Singh who were part of the squad at Athens where the eight-time Olympic champions finished seventh.

The two were also there in Santiago (Chile), where India lost the final of the qualifier to Great Britain and missed the Beijing Games for the first time in 80 years.

Nobbs feels barring the two players, the others haven’t suffered the heartbreak and that adds to the “feel good factor” in the team.

“Barring Ignace and Sandeep, the remaining players came up in the last four years. I don’t think what has happened in the past will have a bearing on the young players. They are a motivated lot and are excited to do well in the Olympics,” said the Australian.

The chief coach was happy that his players are multi-dimensional and defended Sandeep, an ace drag flicker, whose defensive skills are suspect.

“I won’t say Sandeep is a poor defender. In every team you will find one or two players who are selected on the strength of their special skills. Australian Luke Doerner is an example. Sandeep is one of the best drag- flickers in the world and that makes him special,” Nobbs told IANS.

While Nobbs is satisfied with the preparation of his team, he feels that finishing is an area of concern for India.

“We are still working on our finishing. We are creating several openings but unable to finish as well as we should. It is a concern, but again it is a work in progress,” he said.