New Delhi, September 14
Michael Nobbs could not have asked for a better start to his five-year stint as the chief coach of the Indian hockey team, as within six weeks into the job, India ended their title drought by winning the inaugural Asian Champions Trophy.

The win, Nobbs felt, was well-deserved for the team with a mix of young and experienced players. More than the combination, what surprised Nobbs was that while the younger lot played the typical, attacking Indian style hockey, the seniors played the European style, perhaps due to the influence of former coach Jose Brasa. But what delighted the former Australian international, who hails from the hub of hockey - Perth - was the enthusiasm and drive shown by the younger players.

Nobbs said the nine young players were all charged up and had a deep desire to play for the country. He said the victory was hard earned as the all the teams were good and it was remarkable that India remained undefeated and scored the maximum number of goals — 15 for with seven against.

But he has a tough job on hands, as the triumph was just the beginning of his long stint ahead. He has to tackle many things to shape the combination into a winning unit, with uniform playing styles. His immediate concern was to improve the fitness level of the players, who lacked in this area at Ordos.

“The players will have to be put through a regular training drill, to make them physically fit and agile,” Nobbs said in an exclusive chat with The Tribune.

He said the exit of Sardar Singh and Sandeep Singh had handicapped the team, particularly in the penalty-corner conversion department. “We could convert only two out of the 27 penalty corners we earned, as we had very little time to give enough practice to the other players,” he stated. But overall, he understood that the present bunch had the talent and potential for the “making of a good side”.

Though his contract will run through to the 2016 Olympics at Rio de Janeiro, his immediate concern would be to ensure that India qualify for the 2012 London Olympics. (The qualifiers are slated to be held in Delhi in February).

“If you had asked me six weeks ago whether India would qualify for the Olympic Games, I would have said ‘no’. But now I feel confident that the team can qualify for the Olympics,” Nobbs noted.

The Ordos outing helped Nobbs have a close look at the plus and minus points of the team and the kind of bench strength the team had. He said it was imperative to have at least two players for every slot, and that will be his long-term goal, when he demits office five years from now.

“At the end of the day, after I have done with coaching the India team, my dream is to see the team on an Olympic podium,” explained the articulate coach, who has been hired on a monthly salary of $10,000. He said though he reports to Hockey India secretary-general Narinder Batra, he has been getting full co-operation and support from the Sports Ministry and the Sports Authority of India. “I have been given a free hand,” he stressed.

Nobbs said he had a very efficient support staff in physical training expert David John, under whose supervision he hoped to mould the Indian players for the arduous campaigns ahead. He said the physical fitness programme would be executed through modern sports science methods to make the players par for the course.

Nobbs has taken charge of the team with a fresh perspective, without dwelling into the past about what his predecessor (Brasa) had done. “I have been here for only six weeks now, though I am clear in my mind what I am going to do with the team. I don’t want to inherit the problems of the past,” he said.

“Tactically however, we are not quite ready yet. The young players play the traditional Indian hockey, while the seniors are more into the European style,” explained Nobbs. But he was happy that the younger lot was “hungry to play for India”. He said his job brief also included development of young talent to improve the bench strength.

Nobbs felt it would have been good if India were in the Champions Trophy, instead of the Champions Challenge. “In the Champions Trophy, you get to play the best,” he summed up.

If you had asked me six weeks ago whether India would qualify for the Olympic Games, I would have said ‘no’. But now I feel confident that the team can qualify for the Olympics

I have been here for only six weeks now, though I am clear in my mind what I am going to do with the team. I don’t want to inherit the problems of the past

The players will have to be put through a regular training drill, to make them physically fit and agile

Tactically however, we are not quite ready yet. The young players play the traditional Indian hockey, while the seniors are more into the European style

Just as one begins to venture a thought that things may get better for Indian hockey, comes one more fiasco, to add to the many that have plagued the sport. The Asian Champions Trophy win was rightly feted and welcomed as a boost to the sagging form, image and morale of hockey, till the time that the prize money issue showed its ugly head.

India beat arch-rivals Pakistan on way to their triumph at the Asian Champions Trophy.

Hockey India’s offer of Rs. 25,000 each to the players of the winning team, subsequently rejected by them, was an apt reflection of how things have been with the game - the intentions are honest but the quantum is pitiable. It may well be that HI isn’t in a financial position to make the offer any larger, but surely there wasn’t any need to parade the fact in public.

What emerged was some rather hasty damage-control action the Sports Ministry and additional attempts towards making brownie points from the issue by others. Right in the middle of the International Hockey Federation chief Leandro Negre’s Delhi trip.

So even as the sums offered swelled, the feeling that the sport and those who play it are taken a little bit for granted cannot be dismissed altogether. While the players have the zeal and desire to do well, hockey, like any other sport, needs financial sustenance. And if the body in question doesn’t have the wherewithal to make generous offerings, it would probably be prudent not to make any attempts towards that at all.

Invariably, comparisons are drawn with cricket. These, at best, are naïve. Cricket doesn’t depend on Government grants for providing financial incentives to players - one big reason why BCCI isn’t too keen on having any kind of Government control.

That the players rejected the offer and also accused all and sundry about how shabbily they are treated may have some merit, but boosting the image of the sport is not the sole responsibility of Hockey India or the Sports Ministry. The players are the face of the sport, and while there may well be justifiable support for them in the media, even they could have handled this with a little more maturity - maybe a quiet word of protest to HI or the Ministry instead of the big stories everywhere.

This is not the first time that the players and Hockey India have been at odds over payments. The players had gone on strike in January 2010, just a few days before the World Cup, protesting against the non-payment of bonus money. Even the women players followed suit shortly thereafter. While the money was quickly reimbursed, one would imagine that some lessons would have been learned there. Evidently not.

Hockey needs encouragement and Rs 25,000 isn’t exactly a bonanza, especially when we realise that winning a trophy in that sport is as rare as snow in Indian summers. But given the fact that India still is well short of big achievements - the Olympic qualifiers are still to be played and a slot for the London Games to be reserved - it would be prudent to focus on those issues.

For, regardless of what other trophies are won, that is the one that matters. The same media, so sympathetic and supportive of all the players now, will be out on a witch hunt if the team fails to achieve that objective. These minor distractions, amounting to $525 per head, aren’t really needed right now.

New Delhi, September 14
The dope hearing of the six tainted track and field athletes, including Asian Games double gold medallist Ashwini Akkunji, was today adjourned for October 4 after their counsel sought for more documents.

All the six athletes — Mandeep Kaur, Sini Jose, Mary Tiana Thomas, Priyanka Pawar, Jauna Murmu and Akkunji — who flunked dope tests for banned steroids were present at the hearing at the National Anti-Doping Agency headquarters here.

After they sought for documents relating to their 'B' sample testing, the NADA Anti-Disciplinary Panel headed by retired District Judge Dinesh Dayal adjourned the case till October 4.

In the last hearing on August 18, the six quartermilers had sought some documents relating to the testing of their 'A' samples.

Out of the eighth athletes, whose positive tests led to one of the country's biggest doping scandals, shot putter Sonia has been handed a two-year ban by the NADA Anti-Disciplinary Panel.

The case of long jumper Harikrishna Muralidharan will come up separately on September 16. The 'B' samples of all the eight athletes have returned positive for anabolic steroids and they have been put under provisional suspension. — PTI

Cardiff, September 14
Known to accord fitting send-offs to the seniors, it remains to be seen if India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni has any plans for Rahul Dravid, who will bring the curtains down on his illustrious ODI career after the final one-dayer against England on Friday.

Dhoni's gestures in 2008, when former captains Sourav Ganguly and Anil Kumble walked away towards their cricketing twilight, spoke volumes about the man.

He let the combative Ganguly lead the side briefly against Australia in the final Test in Nagpur, while carried Kumble on his broad shoulders. He also made sure that India's greatest wicket-taker was there at the podium to receive the trophy after they won the series 2-0.

Though Dravid has so far failed to set the stage ablaze in the final ODI series of his career, managing a meagre 55 runs at 13.75 from four matches, it's his overall tally - 10820 runs from 343 one-dayers at 39.06, which commands utmost respect.

Dravid is the second highest scorer ever in Test cricket but hasn't done badly in one-dayers also, in which he is seventh in the all-time list, ahead of players like Brian Lara and Mahela Jayawardene.

This will also be the first and last time he would represent India in a match in the Wales' capital.

Dhoni, during his sterling career, has always made at least one gesture to honour a senior cricketer who has announced retirement from international cricket. — PTI

London, September 14
Barcelona conceded one of the fastest goals ever scored in the Champions League and then suffered the shock of a stoppage-time equaliser as they began the defence of their crown with a 2-2 draw at home to AC Milan when group action began on Tuesday.

Chelsea's annual pursuit of the continent's biggest club prize that has so far eluded them began in encouraging fashion for the latest coach in the hot seat as Andre Villas-Boas's team beat Bayer Leverkusen 2-0 in Group E.

The other tussle among the eight matches in Groups E-H ended in a 1-1 draw between Bundesliga champions Borussia Dortmund and Arsenal in northern Germany. While Chelsea and Arsenal still seek a first Champions League crown, former European champions Porto and Olympique Marseille began with victories. — Reuters

Auckland, September 14
England prop Andrew Sheridan and French flyhalf David Skrela hobbled home from the rugby World Cup on Wednesday just as Samoa entered the fray with a resounding win and New Zealanders fretted about the back of prized asset Dan Carter.

On the field, Canada fought back to claim an opening 25-20 win over Tonga in an entertaining match in Whangarei while Scotland overcame eastern European opposition for the second match in a row as they beat Georgia 15-6.

But for all the good play on the field, Wednesday stood out for injuries as Sheridan became the latest casualty of Saturday's brutal Pool B clash between England and Argentina. "It's a big blow to leave the World Cup through injury, but it's a significant injury to the shoulder, so I have to deal with that and get on with it now," Sheridan said in a statement.

England manager Martin Johnson already has four other props in his squad and is yet to call up a replacement for the powerful loosehead. England face Georgia on Sunday. — Reuters

Sirsa, September 14
South Africa’s Alberton Cricket Club defeated Sirsa Sizzlers by six wickets in the third and final limited-overs cricket match for the Chaudhary Devi Lal Trophy in the JCDNCA grounds under floodlights on Tuesday.

Batting first after winning the toss, Sirsa Sizzlers were bundled out for 99 runs in the 17th over of the match played in the Twenty-20 format. Shivam Sharma was the highest scorer for the home side with 22. In reply, the South Africans surpassed Sizzlers’ total in 15th over of the game for the loss of four wickets.

Botha was the highest scorer for the South Africans with an unbeaten 34. He also scored the winning shot, a boundary. He was declared man of the match. Sizzlers won the Chaudhary Devi Lal Cup 2-1, as they had defeated the South Africans in the two opening games on Sunday and Monday. 

BRIEFLY

McEnroe hails Djokovic
London: American legend John McEnroe has hailed World No.1 Novak Djokovic after the Serbian defeated Rafael Nadal to in the US Open men's singles title and become just the sixth in the open era to win three Slams in the same calendar year. "Djokovic is having the greatest year in the history of our sport, there's no doubt about it. He bewildered Nadal," the Guardian quoted McEnroe, as saying. — ANI

‘Stosur win fantastic’
Sydney: Australian tennis star Lleyton Hewitt has hailed Samantha Stosur after she produced the match of her life to win the US Open women's singles title. "It's fantastic for her and, obviously, women's tennis at the moment is pretty wide open as well for her to really try and make a stand on it," Hewitt said. "I think anytime anyone wins a grand slam, you hope that's going to help the growth of that sport as well and the profile of the sport," he added. — ANI

Jeev returns to Macau
MACAU: Returning after a gap of 12 years, Jeev Milkha Singh hopes to hit the jackpot at the $750,000 Macau Open presented by Cityneon in the Casino City. Jeev still remembers some of the holes, like the 17th, where the golfers tee off from way above the greens which present a picturesque sight at the Macau Golf and Country Club. "This is a very pretty course, but it also requires you to be careful as the wind can be a big factor," he said as he surveys the South China Sea, which runs along the two closing holes. — PTI

‘No guarantee for Marsh’
Colombo: Former Australian all-rounder Tom Moody reckons that Shaun Marsh could be left out of the Australian squad for the third Test against Sri Lanka despite his century on debut in the Kandy Test last week. "He's obviously put his hand up and batted very well when he's been given an opportunity, but Ricky is going to come straight back at No. 3," the Sydney Morning Herald quoted Moody, Marsh's former coach at Western Australia, as saying. — ANI

Rice backs new Gunners
London: Arsenal's assistant manager Pat Rice is confident that the club's new signings can revive their season. When asked whether Arsenal have turned the corner, Rice said: "Very much so. It seemed the game on Saturday [against Swansea] was our start of the season because of the uncertainty as to who the players would be that leave us. The players that we have acquired are very, very good players, contrary to what other people have said. I have no doubt that they will show it and in the games to come," he added. — ANI

Delhi United lift title
NEW DELHI: Delhi United, formerly known as Gorkha Brigade, defeated Shahdara Club 3-2 to emerge champions in the Delhi Soccer Association Senior Division League at the Thyagaraj Nagar stadium. Down by a goal till half-time, United fought back on resumption to annex the cup, in their second shot at the title. Nigerian striker Ifeani put Shahdara in the lead but Francis equalised for United on resumption. Then Obed Kamei and Rishi Kapoor struck to give United a handsome lead, though Ifeani reduced the margin for the losers at the fag end. Sports Minister Ajay Maken gave away the prizes. — TNS

Indian cagers play Lebanon
Mumbai: The Indian hoopsters commence their London Olympic Games qualifying campaign tomorrow by taking on Lebanon in their opening Group A league match of the 26th FIBA Asia Basketball Championships at Wuhan, China. The 12-member strong Indian squad, which reached China on September 8, has been playing practice games since then, and is to take on Malaysia and Korea over the next two days in the 16-team competition that ends on September 25, a release from IMG Reliance, marketing partners of the Basketball Federation of India, said. — PTI

Armaan secures Indy Lights seat
Indianapolis: Barely after three weeks of winding up his Formula 2 campaign, 22-year old Armaan Ebrahim participated in an intense day of testing here with the BHA team, winners of the Indy 500. Impressed by his ability to handle the 500bhp, V8 engine-powered car, the team extended the offer for Armaan for the 2012 Indy Lights Championship. — PTI

McEnroe hails Djokovic
London: American legend John McEnroe has hailed World No.1 Novak Djokovic after the Serbian defeated Rafael Nadal to in the US Open men's singles title and become just the sixth in the open era to win three Slams in the same calendar year. "Djokovic is having the greatest year in the history of our sport, there's no doubt about it. He bewildered Nadal," the Guardian quoted McEnroe, as saying.