MOCKERY: 20 mins and match is over!

DSO schedules 16 matches in one day

NAGPUR, Oct 13
By Paritosh Pramanik

MATCH duration is 30 minutes. Ten minutes and it’s half-time. Second half begins, as the stopwatch shows 20 minutes the umpire blows the final hooter. The match is over! Budding hockey players leave the field bewildered, looking at their coach (school PTI) asking “Is that all we waited for more than three hours”?
Welcome to District Sports Office (DSO) organised inter-school hockey tournament under way at Dr Ambedkar College ground. The tournament is nothing but a formality. It hardly matters to the officials whether it is played according to rules and for full duration.
On Wednesday, a whopping 16 matches in different age groups were scheduled on only one ground. Officials were told to complete all matches. No postponement for the next day. The helpless umpires and technical officer were forced to reduce the duration of play.
According to sports incharge of one of the schools his team arrived for his match in the afternoon but had to wait for hours.
“We waited for hours for our match. In the end the players got only 20 minutes to play (10 minutes each half). Why does DSO conduct tournaments when they don’t have time,” asked the PTI.
One of the umpires officiating the match said, “Even though we arrive for our match on time DSO does not pay us if the match is a walkover. We are paid a paltry Rs 25 per one completed match.”
“The PTIs call us and request to postpone their match for an hour as students have to appear for examinations. We have instructions from DSO that no team should be given walkover. The match has to be completed even if it is played two hours late,” said one official.
Hockey Incharge of DSO Dilip Itankar first denied that 16 matches were scheduled for a day. But he had to accept the fact when this scribe told him that he had in possession the match schedule.
“Past experience shows that most of the matches do not take place (walkovers). We had an idea that all teams would not come hence these many matches were scheduled.
“The divisional meet is to be held in Wardha from 16th and we have to complete the fixtures,” said Itankar.
According to DSO schedule, there is no half-time break for a match. If a match starts at 9 am, then the second match is scheduled for 9.30 am. Itankar failed to convince how a match could be scheduled immediately after completion of the earlier match. “It gets adjusted,” was his unconvincing reply.

Chetri interview in fieldhockey.com

http://fieldhockey.com/index.php/2-uncategorised/140-i-was-sure-to-get-captains-arm-band-chetri

I was sure to get captain’s arm band: Chetri

By Paritosh Pramanik
NAGPUR, Sept 29

THE last man of the team would lead from the front. Experienced hockey goal-keeper Bharat Chetri will don the captain’s arm band when India take on New Zealand, arch-rival Pakistan and hosts Australia during their tour Down Under starting mid October.
Though it came a bit late, Hockey India’s decision to appoint Chetri as captain has definitely brought cheers in Darjeeling where the skipper’s family stays.
“They all are very happy and my cell phone is continuously ringing. My friends in Darjeeling, too, are feeling very proud,” said the new Indian captain while talking to ‘The Hitavada’.
Chetri always knew that he would lead India some day but was not expecting it so early. “I am not fully surprised. I was sure that I would get that captain’s arm band...but when I did not know. There were discussions during the team meetings and camp that captaincy would be rotated. I was sure my day would come too. So it’s not a surprise,” said an elated Chetri.
Chetri, who hails from Darjeeling but has settled in Bangalore for last 11 years, said it was good to have a new captain for every tour. “It actually helps in building a team. In this way we can read the mind of other seniors too. The seniors are playing together for more than 5-6 years and it helps in how they think and what they want from others.”
The custodian said being a goal keeper would not put added pressure on him.
“I don’t think there would be any added pressure. Being a goal-keeper actually helps. Only a goal-keeper can see all his team-mates as well as opponents’ moves. He can actually be the best guide for the team. My job would be the same.”
India will play a nine-a-side tournament in Australia which, Chetri said, would be a great fun.
“This nine-a-side is like an entertainment. It’s like IPL. It’s very different from 11-a-side game. In this format we have different rules for short corner and long corner. It would be exciting to play this format. I can’t say how much interest it would generate or how would we perform as this would be our first time. But I am sure it would be great fun,” Chetri said.
The Indian captain said the team looks strong with the return of defender Sandeep Singh and striker Sardara Singh.
“The team looks strong with the return of Sandeep, Sardara, Tushar (Khandekar), Arjun (Halappa), Vikram (Pillay). Six senior players are back which is good for us. They all are very experienced with more than 100 matches under their belt. Their presence would definitely help the team,” he mentioned.
Chetri lauded the appointment of three-time Olympian Mukesh Kumar as Indian coach. “It’s great that a player like Mukesh Kumar would be with us as a coach. He was a very good player like Mohd Riaz. Presence of such players always motivates you,” said the Canara Bank staffer.
Chetri said India’s Australian coach Michael Nobbs is a great motivator.
“When Jose Brasa was our coach we were playing European style of hockey but now we are back to our Indian style... attacking hockey. Nobbs has given us free hand to play our style of hockey. He and our fitness trainer are giving more emphasis on fitness. They are working really hard on us. Our fitness level has immensely increased. We are much fitter than what we were two months back,” Chetri stated.

http://ehitavada.com/site.home/paper_type/1/date/2011-09-30/page_no/15

‘CT would’ve been a good build-up for Oly qualifiers’

n By Paritosh Pramanik
NAGPUR, Sept 13

HIS cell phone kept ringing since he touched the Indian shores. His friends, hockey lovers and followers congratulated him. Journalists took most of his early morning time for some exclusive quotes. But Indian hockey captain Rajpal Singh never got annoyed. Rather, he was more than happy to respond to every call.
“They all are our well wishers. How can I ignore them,” said Rajpal with a chuckle, while talking to ‘The Hitavada’ from New Delhi.
Rajpal and his young men defeated arch-rivals Pakistan in the final to clinch the maiden Asian Champions Trophy at Ordos in China last Sunday.
The Indian team remained unbeaten in the tournament drawing three matches and winning as many to clinch the trophy. This was India’s first major championship in four years since Prabodh Tirkey had lifted the Asia Cup in Chennai in 2007.
The Indian captain was sad to know that the Champions Trophy, supposed to be held in India, has now been shifted to Auckland, New Zealand.
“It’s sad. It would have been better had it been played in India. We would have got a chance to play some of the top teams ahead of Olympic qualifiers. It would have been a good build-up. But now we will have to play as the top-seeded team at the Champions Challenge in November in South Africa. We will have to win that meet to qualify for Champions Trophy. But our main aim is to qualify for London Games and we will work much harder to achieve our goal,” said Rajpal.
The Indian captain said it’s a great moment for Indian hockey as the win would give a big boost to the game.
“It’s good that we won a major title at this juncture. Indian hockey is being ridden with controversies in the recent past and we did not let that affect our game,” said Rajpal.
According to Rajpal, the secret of this team’s success was the unity amongst the players. “We were united during the entire tournament. We never let the off-field controversies affect our game. We concentrated on the game at hand. It’s not our job to think about the tussle between Hockey India and Indian Hockey Federation,” Rajpal stated. Indian team was without experienced players like Arjun Halappa, Tushar Khandekar, Shivendra Singh who are nursing injuries. But the juniors grabbed the opportunities with both hands and Rajpal said they performed above expectation.
“Yes, the team would have been a much stronger had seniors like Shivendra, Arjun, Tushar been there. But the juniors performed exceedingly well, above expectation. “They were new but not raw. All of them had played at international level so they had the feel of playing an international tournament. But they really played well,” he said. The captain had special praise for midfielder Gurbaz Singh who was exceptional in all the matches.
“Gurbaz was player of the tournament. He was excellent in the midfield. His passes were accurate and ball trapping was unbelievable,” said the captain. Rajpal said the new penalty shoot-out rule, which was used during the final, favoured India.
Earlier, the shots were taken from a fixed spot but according to changed rules, the tie-breaker involves the striker starting with the ball from outside the 23-yard circle and have to beat rival goal-keeper to score within eight seconds.
“We had used this method a few year back during the Premier Hockey League (PHL) so we had a fair bit of idea about that. You can say the new rule has helped us more. But yes we practised it during this tournament also,” informed the Indian forward.








I wanted to make my country proud: Sreejesh


By Paritosh Pramanik
NAGPUR, Sept 13

IT WAS a final and it was India vs Pakistan. And nobody in the Indian camp wanted to give any leeway to the arch-rivals. In the end it all boiled down to one man — the goal-keeper. The lanky Indian custodian Parattu Raveendran Sreejesh, who was out of the international circuit for around a year, decided to hoist the Indian flag a notch up than Pakistan. The six-foot tall Indian goal-keeper used his height to thwart Pakistan as he made two crucial saves that saw India lift the Asian Champions Trophy.
Goal-keepers are admired only when it comes to penalty shoot-outs and Sreejesh decided to make it his day.
“You know the only time a goal-keeper gets the credit is when the game is decided on penalties. I think it was my day and I was lucky to save those two penalties,” said the elated Indian goal-keeper while talking to ‘The Hitavada’ from New Delhi. “During the shoot-outs my mind was clear. I just wanted to save the shots and make my country proud,” he added.
Coach Michael Nobbs used both the goal-keepers in the tournament and it was by rotation that Sreejesh got the opportunity to stand under the bar in the final. “After we entered the final, our coach (Michael) Nobbs said that I would be the first choice goal-keeper for the final. So I was prepared for the big match,” said Sreejesh who missed the Commonwealth Games due to back injury.
The lanky goal-keeper said he got the advantage of his height during the match. “Being a 6-footer always helps. In the final also I took the advantage of my height,” added Sreejesh.
Sreejesh last represented India during last year’s European tour after which he suffered disc injury. Those were painful days for the Kerala-born keeper. “I suffered a disc injury which forced me out. I took rehabilitation and was advised proper rest. Slowly I started practising and got into rhythm. I worked hard as I always wanted to be back in the Indian squad,” he said.
Despite being the hero of the team for winning the title, Sreejesh feels that he needs more hard work to cement his place in the team. “I will work much harder and will try my best to keep my place in the team.”
Sreejesh wanted to dedicate his medal to his fellow custodian Adrian D’Souza. “He is my best pal. He always helped me on and off the field. I want to dedicate this (gold) medal to him,” Sreejesh proudly said. Sreejesh said instead of ruing the missed chance of Champions Trophy the team should concentrate on the Champions Challenge. “I think we should forget this (missing Champions Trophy) and plan about the Champions Challenge which is going to be held in November in South Africa. If we win that tournament we would qualify for the main tournament,” he signed off.

VHA included in ‘New Hockey Federation’

Can take part in national tournaments

By Paritosh Pramanik

VIDARBHA Hockey Association (VHA) has come out victors as far as participation in national tournaments is concerned. The three-year long fight with Hockey India (HI) for its survival at the top level is over with the Joint Executive Committee for Hockey in India and Sports Ministry accepting the demand to keep the affiliation of the six-decades-old body.
In a major development, Hockey India and Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) have decided to work together without forming a unified body.
Talking to ‘The Hitavada’ over phone from Delhi, IHF secretary Ashok Mathur said, “VHA, which is affiliated with IHF, along with Mumbai, Maharashtra, Bhopal and Hyderabad, will remain part of the “Joint Executive Committee for Hockey in India.”
Mathur said VHA would be able to take part in national and other invitational tournaments organised under the banner of HI or IHF.
“Be it Vidarbha, Mumbai, Maharashtra, Patiala, Bhopal or any other association...they all would be allowed to take part in the nationals (senior, junior, boys or girls),” informed Mathur.
Mathur said IHF was clear in their stand of having VHA, Mumbai, Maharashtra, Bhopal, Hyderabad as their affiliated members.
The issue of affiliation to these five units was discussed during the meeting ten days back and Sports Ministry secretary Injeti Srinivas had accepted the demand of IHF.
‘The Hitavada’ was the first to report about VHA getting affiliation with the joint body.
After IHF was disbanded and Hockey India took over the reigns of the game in 2008 VHA as well as the other associations’ existence was in danger as HI adhered to one-state-one-unit policy.
Last month Sports Ministry had proposed a merger plan to the two warring bodies. The Ministry had asked for their views on it and had also warned them of stern action if they failed to budge.
IHF was stern in its stand of including Vidarbha, Mumbai, which is 100 years old association, Maharashtra, Bhopal and Hyderabad, as affiliated units in the national federation.
During a meeting held on June 21, IHF had supported VHA to be part of the Indian Federation and were firm on their stand whenever the two warring factions met with the government.
“We have clearly stated that associations like Vidarbha, Mumbai, Bhopal, Hyderabad and Maharashtra are more than 50-60 years old. We can’t suddenly wipe them out. They would be part of the merged body,” Mathur said.
An elated VHA secretary Vinod Gawai said he was happy that their fight for survival and recognition bore fruits. “All we wanted is participation in national tournaments. We always fought for our players. We were firm in our fight and that is the reason IHF supported us,” said Gawai.
“The players would not lose out on playing in nationals, at least till 2012,” he added.
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VHA elections likely in September

SLUG: Last AGM under present body on Sunday
By Paritosh Pramanik

THE most awaited elections of Vidarbha Hockey Association (VHA), in all probability, would be held in the month of September.
The Annual General Body Meeting (AGM), which was not held last year, would be held on Sunday, July 31 at Sarvoday Ashram, Amravati Road.
This would be the second time VHA goes to elections after its Constitution was amended in 2007 and executive body’s term was extended to four years.
This year elections would be conducted in the presence of Election Officer appointed by Deputy Charity Commissioner.
According to secretary’s report, some members have filed an application before the Deputy Charity Commissioner seeking direction for election as per voters’ list of 2005 elections. But the present executive body objected to and defended their members who were added between 2005-2011.
At present VHA has 504 members including 100 Patrons, 341 Life Members, two Honorary Members (without voting rights) and 61 Affiliated Units.
“Deputy Charity Commissioner, vide order dated 28.6.2011, directed the association to hold elections within three months as per the voters list submitted up to date of elections. Deputy Charity Commissioner has also appointed Election Officer for the same. Accordingly, VHA’s forthcoming election programme would be declared by Election Officer separately,” the secretary’s report states.