New Delhi: Hockey India named Sunday a 24-member core team for the junior men’s national coaching camp, starting Monday at Bangalore. Two Odisha players – Gregory Xess and Shilanand Lakra have found a place in the list.
The players will train under coach Jude Felix till October 4, as they prepare for the upcoming VIIIth Sultan of Johor Cup tournament, to be played October 6-13 in Johor Bahru, Malaysia.
Eight members from the Indian junior men’s team that won the bronze at the last edition of the tournament including Pankaj Rajak, Suman Beck, Harmanjit Singh and Mandeep Mor have been selected for the camp.
Felix said he has watched the players closely before calling them for the camp. “We have selected these campers focusing on creating a core group who can represent the senior team in the coming years. It is important for us to condition these players in a way that they help the country in becoming one of the best teams in the world,” Felix said Sunday.
“Our focus will be on setting up a strong structured team, and understanding the right mix of 18 players who can help our team in producing our best performance at the tournament in Malaysia.”
The players: (Goalkeepers) Pankaj Kumar Rajak, Kamalbir Singh;(Defenders) Suman Beck, Mohd Faraz, Somjeet, Mandeep Mor, Parampreet Singh, Prince, Varinder Singh,Lugun Cyril; (Midfielders) Gregory Xess, Yashdeep Siwach, Harmanjit Singh, Vishnu Kant Singh, Gopi Kumar Sonkar, Vishal Antil, Haspreet Singh; (Forwards) Gursahabjit Singh, Amandeep Singh, Abhilash Stalin, Abhishek, H Mani Singh, Prabhjot Singh and Shilanand Lakra
