New Delhi: Trying to save face after three consecutive defeats in as many matches at the London Olympics 2012, the Indian men's hockey team resembles a house in complete mess. With two pool games left, out of which Korea is next on Sunday, coach Michael Nobbs says the players seem to be content with being Olympians than putting bodies on the line for the nation.
A fighting 2-3 loss to the Netherlands was more than acceptable for a team that left the Indian shores in hopes of, at best, finishing in the top six. They began impressively against New Zealand too, going into the lead as early as the second minute, but since that point it's getting from bad to worse.
Nobbs is not mincing any words after these losses. The Australian isn't happy with the attitude of a few of the seniors, saying players are more keen to "secure their future" by becoming Olympians.
"I am wondering if some of the players are just content to play in the Olympics and secure their future, not really play heart and soul for India. We have had up until now a good team with good results. So this is very frustrating for me," the India coach said.
Nobbs, however, added that he at most expected a point from the first three games, which India has lost. "I only expected to get one point out of the first three matches, and had the umpiring in the first match been better at the end, we would have," the coach said of the opening match against the Netherlands. "Saying that, however, we keep doing the same things wrong in each match, and that has plagued us for the last 4-5 months," Nobbs lamented.
"A couple of the senior players just won't or are unable to understand what and how we want them to play, and that results in very poor defensive work. Each time we bring that player on, goals against us result, and soft goals. Frustrating, to say the least," he added.
India are still looking for their first points in London and will play Korea on Sunday. Germany and Netherlands with nine points from three matches each have virtually made it through to the semis from Pool B, leaving other teams to fight it out for places outside the top four at the end of the pool phase.
Korea are currently third in the group with three points from as many matches, which still gives them an outside chance to qualify for the semi-finals should the Germans and the Dutch mess it up in their last two encounters.
India have been let down with the performance of some of their seniors, and it hasn't gone unnoticed. "The other thing [that] concerns me is some of the players can't handle the pressure. Sandeep [Singh], three penalty corners now where he has just misflicked. This is unacceptable by any standards for our team. It's really frustrating for me. The thing is we play each second half well and each first half very poorly," Nobbs complained.
The Australian concluded saying that though the performance so far has hurt, it will still be a good achievement if India end up anywhere between the 5th to 8th position. "We are not that bad but realism hurts. I have said all along that we are not medal contenders and that if we finished anywhere near the middle, it would be a good finish."
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