BHUBANESWAR: The Indian hockey team is targeting a winning start against eight-time champions Germany in the 35th men’s Champions Trophy starting at Kalinga Stadium Hockey Complex on December 6.
“Our first goal is to beat Germany. If we do that, we’ll have a good chance to reach the quarterfinals. Of course we are keen to win our maiden title. But at the moment, we are not looking beyond quarterfinals,” said head coach Roelant Oltmans after the team worked out at the newly laid synthetic turf on Saturday.
On whether India would deviate from the strategy employed by Australian coach Terry Walsh, the former Netherlands international said, “There will be no change in the style and strategy adopted by the team since the beginning of the year. We are just trying to fine-tune the skill part.”
Oltmans, also the high-performance director of Hockey India, denied there would be additional pressure on him in his double role. “I’m focused on Champions Trophy. Terry and me worked together for the success of the team. After he left, we are trying to carry on the winning momentum. Though I’m the head coach, we have Jude Felix, Tushar Khandker and Sandeep Sangwan as members of the think tank. It’s a team.”
On the controversial resignation of Walsh, Oltmans felt the Aussie could not adjust to the system. “I adapted well to Indian culture, style of hockey and administrative functioning. Terry couldn’t.”
Taking cue from Oltmans, Odisha boy Birendra Lakra said, “The team is confident under Roelant, who is helping us close the loopholes and giving tips which we are inculcating in our play. We are confident of winning the first match and putting our strategies together by watching videos of our last few clashes against them.”
Contrary to belief that he was carrying an ankle injury, the defender said, “I’m fully fit. I slipped and fell on the new turf during our first practice session, but didn’t suffer injuries.”