New Delhi: Harendra Singh has a penchant for delivering results whenever entrusted with an assignment and has now set his sights at bigger goals after guiding the Indian women’s hockey team to the Asia Cup triumph.
The Indian women’s team will embark on a more difficult journey in 2018, which includes the Commonwealth Games in Australia, the Asian Games in Indonesia apart from the World Cup in England.
“The Asia Cup win is just the foundation, we have to achieve much more. The year 2018 is very crucial for Indian women’s hockey. We have three important tournaments and I expect minimum two medals out of these three tournaments,” Harendra told this agency during an interaction.
By his own admission, he had barely watched women’s hockey, leave aside coaching a side, but the Asia Cup title has made him believe that ‘nothing is impossible’ in the world of sport.
But for someone who has been associated with national teams over the years, Harendra was confident that he could deliver in women’s hockey too.
“I knew I can deliver in women’s hockey also. I can make a significant contribution for the Indian women’s team,” he asserted.
Known to be an astute tactician, Harendra had also coached the Indian junior men’s hockey team to World Cup gold in Lucknow, last year.
“For a coach, every tournament is important. The Junior World Cup win and the Asia Cup title with the girls are completely different,” Harendra said when asked to compare the two victories.
“I had three years to prepare the junior men’s team while for the girls it was just 23-24 days. So the satisfaction of both the wins is different. (But) I am never satisfied,” added Harendra
Harendra has always been an obsessive coach, always hungry for results. And whether it is in charge of his employer Air India or any other team, Harendra is never satisfied and always wants to return with a podium finish.
“Any medal would do. The colour of the medal, though, will be decided by the girls. Nothing is impossible,” Harendra replied, when asked about chances of medals in three marquee events next year.
Windfall for players
Hockey India (HI) announced Monday a cash award of Rs 1,00,000 each to the 18-member squad which won the Asia Cup title Sunday. Coach Harendra Singh will also get the same amount and members of the support staff will get Rs 50,000 each. “This is truly a commendable achievement by the Indian team, bringing back the Asia Cup after 13 years,” said Mushtaque Ahmad, HI secretary-general.
press trust of india