BHUBANESWAR : The end of the World Cup’s first week has re-emphasised a growing trend in the highest echelons of field hockey.Drag-flicks, for so long a cornerstone of the sport, need new life to be breathed into them. It’s not yet on life-support, but coaching, modern technology, kamikaze-like first-rushers (also known as first runners or first wave) and tens of hundreds of hours of video analysis all make one thing clear. The art of the drag-flick needs a wake-up call; quickly, at that.
The numbers make for poor reading. In the 84 penalty corners teams have gotten so far in the event, only 15 have been converted; a success rate of less than 18 per cent. Historically speaking, this number has never been this low at an FIH event in recent times. Granted that these statistics could change significantly over the next fortnight, but what has happened at Kalinga Stadium since November 28 isn’t an anomaly. Rather, it is the continuation of a broader theme that took shape after Rio Olympics.
In six FIH events including the Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro, goals scored through penalty corners have dropped by almost one. In more numerical terms, while Rio saw every match yielding 1.94 goals through them, the corresponding number for this event has nosedived to 1.07.Coaches the world over have made the same observation. “Yeah. I think it’s getting harder and harder to score from short corners,” Australia coach Colin Batch said. “I think we have seen the percentage of success decline since Rio. That’s a fair assessment.”
The why behind this case started taking shape two years ago. That was the time when teams started investing en masse in video technology, analytical tools and full-time video-analysts.The latter’s main job was to study which part of the goal drag-flickers prefer: low to the keeper’s right, or top of the goal to the keeper’s left? That information was being conveyed to the custodian and four defenders were primed with the task of stopping a ball travelling at speeds of up to 200kmph.
No longer was the goalkeeper a blind man leading four other such men into battle. They now had access to untapped data that was worth paying for. Improvements were overnight, and technology was just a part of the equation. Constant demand for better equipment also saw the last line of defence catch up. “The guys are always getting better (in the defensive aspect of short corners),” India manager Chris Ciriello said.
Ciriello, one of the fiercest exponents of the skill during his playing days, opined that the tools have become much better. “Defenders are running with ice-hockey gloves. Guys wear knee-pads, and their shin-pads have become thicker.” Equipment in itself, though, is tantamount to nothing. What pushed the goalposts even further was runners’ improved fitness. The chances of a goal being scored is inversely proportional to the speed of the first rusher from the goalmouth to the top of the D. In the last two years, defenders have started covering this distance in fewer time than before, courtesy improved stamina and endurance.
Innovative tactics, according to Ciriello, also play a key role. “There’s a lot of analyses that goes into what guys do. There could be two rushers, one, or no rusher at all. That’ll dependi on who we have. There are over 10 different defensive variations.” The point about rushers that Ciriello — who memorably scored three penalty corners in the final of the 2014 World Cup — makes is important in this context because they are all courageous, literally putting their body between the ball and the goalkeeper.
Even if the runners’ natural instinct is to weave out of the ball’s way, their mind tells them to keep running in the general direction of the drag-flicker. What they do sounds stupid, but coaching and hours of video-based input has also changed they way they see the art of drag-flicking.
The job may sound suicidal — just ask South Korea, who lost three defenders to injury thanks to Sohail Abbas’ drag-flicks in the semis of the 2000 Olympics — but there is now a proper method to the madness. Jeremy Hayward, who does the dual duty of being drag-flicker and first runner for Australia, explained. “We train in that (defending short corners) aspect every week back home, and have been doing it for quite a long time now.”
The one final frontier for the five men tasked with nullifying drag-flickers is to copy the same template when facing up to Gonzalo Peillat, the Lionel Messi of short corners. In the 10 FIH events held since the 2014 edition of Champions Trophy, Peillat, thanks chiefly to his skill from the top of the D, has top-scored in five. Guess who has the most goals from short corners in Bhubaneswar so far? Peillat, with two.
injuries force belgium and canada to make squad changes
Olympic silver medallist Belgium and Canada were on Tuesday forced to make a change each in their squads due to injuries. Belgium’s Emmanuel Stockbroek has been withdrawn from the squad due to a hamstring injury sustained in his side’s 2-2 draw against India on Sunday. He will be replaced by Antoine Kina, a 22-year-old with 29 caps to his name. Canada too were forced to make a change after Brandon Pereira was withdrawn because of an injury. Forward Floris van Son will replace Pereira in the 18-member squad. Van Son, 26, has 26 caps to his name. The replacements were made after both Belgium and Canada sought approval from the International Hockey Federation.