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Kalinga Lancers finished with a wooden spoon in their first season in the Hockey India League (HIL) last year. They were the so-called “whipping boys” of the 2014 season, having suffered 7 losses and managing only 2 wins. Despite the presence of the astute Terry Walsh as coach, Kalinga Lancers got it all wrong from the beginning and could not produce a cohesive performance.
However, this year the team would try to come out all guns blazing after learning from their previous experiences in the HIL. They have made their intentions very clear by appointing a new coach Jude Felix and doing some shrewd business in the auction. Adding the likes of Gurjinder Singh (defender) and Australian Andrew Charter (goalkeeper), they would try to focus on their Achilles’ heel – defence.
Team Overview
Owner: IDCO & Mahanadi Coalfield Ltd.
Head Coach: Jude Felix
Assistant Coach: Lazarus Barla
Manager: Ajay Kumar Bansal
Captain: Prabodh Tirkey
Home Stadium: Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneshwar (Capacity – 6000)
Team Composition
| PLAYER | POSITION | COUNTRY |
| Andrew Charter | Goalkeeper | Australia |
| Harjot Singh | Goalkeeper | India |
| Ramon Alegre | Defender | Spain |
| Gurjinder Singh | Defender | India |
| Dipsan Tirkey | Defender | India |
| Aran Zalewski | Defender | India |
| Gonzalo Peillat | Defender | Argentina |
| Russell Ford | Forward | Australia |
| Mohammad Nizamuddin | Forward | India |
| Roshan Minz | Forward | India |
| Mandeep Antil | Forward | India |
| Lalit Kumar Upadhyay | Forward | India |
| Lucas Villa | Forward | Argentina |
| Pradhan Sommanna | Forward | India |
| Vickram Kanth | Midfielder | India |
| Glenn Simpson | Midfielder | Australia |
| Devindar Sunil Walmiki | Midfielder | India |
| Roc Oliva Isern | Midfielder | Spain |
| Vikas Sharma | Midfielder | India |
| Mohammad Amir Khan | Midfielder | India |
| Prabodh Tirkey | Midfielder | India |
| Kiel Brown | Midfielder | Australia |
| Ryan Jeffrey Archibald | Midfielder | New Zealand |
Key Players
Defence:
Defence has been a cause for concern for the Lancers, as they conceded 34 goals in last year’s tournament. Despite having the burly Gonzalo Peillat and seasoned Ramon Alegre at the back their defence line was breached easily.
To solve their defensive woes, they have brought in the sturdy Gurjinder Singh this year.The combination duo of Peillat and Gurjinder would be an interesting one to watch out for as both are known for their solid defending and lethal drag flicks.
Midfield:
Lancers’ midfield roster does look light on paper as they have no known face from the national squad .All the Indian players are young and short in experience barring veteran Prabodh Tirkey. Glenn Simpson and Ryan Archibald would be the two pivots who have to marshal their young team-mates and control the game in the middle.
Forward:
Upfront, Lancers have Argentinian Lucas Vila – one of the biggest names in the international hockey. Those who are unaware of him, just take a look at his exploits in the just concluded Champions Trophy. His mazy dribbles and sublime first touches are impeccable.
Australian Rusell Ford and the Indian Lalit Upadhyay add further depth to the forward line. Pradhan Somanna and Mandeep Antil are other young Indian forwards who can chip in with crucial goals and turn the game in their favour.
