After three away games, Kalinga Lancers are back at their home ground – the Kalinga Stadium. The hosts are training hard to prowl on their favourite hunting ground. Mentor Dilip Tirkey is pretty happy with the show so far. The former Olympian opens up about the team’s prospects in a freewheeling chat with Rajendra Prasad Mohapatra. Excerpts…
Q. Lancers have performed well against weaker teams. But their shows against stronger teams have not been that consistent.
A. No, I don’t agree. We won our last game against Uttar Pradesh Wizards convincingly though we lost our first match against them. So, we have learnt from our mistakes and improved. Our performance against Ranchi Rays was also not that bad though we lost the match due to some silly mistakes. But our overall performance has been pretty good. If we maintain the same tempo throughout the tournament, I am sure we can reach the semifinals. Our next three matches are against big teams and these are crucial for our semifinal aspirations. We will be playing those matches in our home ground, so we will look to exploit home advantage and crowd support.
Q. Are there any major differences between a home and away show for Lancers?
A. We have performed well both in home and away conditions. We have won two out of three away games. As professionals, players have to adjust to different conditions. Playing at home is definitely a pleasure because of the crowd support.
Q. How good is the team’s confidence level?
A. We are on a high, definitely. Against Ranchi we missed six of our players due to illness. But they have recovered and as a whole we are in good shape, both mentally and physically for our upcoming matches.
Q. Do you think that the schedule is very tiring?
A. Obviously it’s tight. But it’s same for all the sides. Especially the upcoming home games do not allow any recovery time as we play three matches in four days.
Q. Are the Lancers suffering due to lack of strikers?
A. We are a balanced side. But the injury to Devinder Walmiki is a concern for us. In this case the others have to fill in his shoes quickly. They have to shoulder extra responsibility. Walmiki is ruled out of the tournament and we are looking for a replacement.
Q. Are you happy with the performances of the Oriya players?
A. No, I am not happy. Amit Rohidas has performed well to some extent, but the others have been disappointing. But I still think that they should be given time. We need to be patient with youngsters.
Q. As a player don’t you miss the action in the middle?
A. Oh yes, I do. I did not get the chance to play an international game in Orissa. I would have certainly enjoyed playing in such a beautiful stadium and before an electric audience.
Q. With the advent of this beautiful hockey turf at the Kalinga Stadium, do you feel any positive impact on the popularity of the game in the state?
A. See, spreading and popularising the game is a long and continuous process. As per our plans we wanted the best venue and infrastructure in Orissa and to host some mega events. So far we have been very successful and will love to carry on the good work. Crowds are coming. We have an academy here and trainees are getting a fantastic exposure as well.
