India is now the fittest team in the world: Michael Nobbs

With the franchise-based league off to a good start, Indian hockey is showing signs of resurgence after the London 2012 debacle. The head coach of the Indian team, Michael Nobbs, talks to Boria Majumdar on the importance of the League, the need for sports science and the road ahead for Indian hockey.
London 2012 now seems a far way off. After coming last in the twelve team tournament, the country had almost given up on hockey.Coming back to make the semi-finals of the Champions Trophy in Melbourne and the final of the Asia Cup, Indian hockey seems to be making the right noises in 2013.
You are right. I was thoroughly disappointed with what happened in London. I was on a sabbatical in Australia in September-October and spent a lot of time at the Australian spor ts science institutes and realised that it is the lack of scientific training or rather ‘the absence of ‘sports science’ that is affecting Indian hockey. As you know Australia won just one gold and four bronze medals in the 1976 Montreal Olympics. Eight years later it won a host of medals at the Los Angeles Olympic Games. The only thing that had changed was the introduction of sports science. I am committed to introducing sports science to Indian hockey and can promise you the change will be for all to see.
What’s your take on the new hockey league? It is getting a good deal of media coverage and many world stars are talking up its potential. Do you think it can evolve into a sustainable league like the IPL?
I actually think it can do a far better job than the IPL. When the IPL started, India was the world champion team in the T-20 format. Indian players were the best in the world. The players from other teams came here to play the IPL, acquired the skill for sub-continental conditions and have since done very well against India. In hockey it will be the other way round. The teams from Europe and Australia are better teams at the moment and Indian players have much to benefit by playing with the best players in the world. They can learn the techniques and improve their fundamentals by playing with the likes of Jamie Dwyer.
India is now one of the youngest teams in the world and many tell me it is one of the fittest Indian teams ever. How has this transformation come about?
First, I want to correct you. It is not just the fittest Indian team ever, it is the fittest hockey team in the world. By getting the right juniors into the mix we have managed to get a bunch of boys who don’t have anything to lose. At the same time we have given Sardar more responsibility and he is leading the team wonderfully well. There was never any doubt about his skill. In fact he is for me the best player in the world. What Sachin Tendulkar is to the world of cricket Sardar Singh is to the world of hockey. Similarly by giving Raghunath more responsibility we are getting him to convert 70 per cent of the penalty corners. Things are looking much better than earlier.
Hockey India has just appointed the former coach of the Dutch national team, Roelant Oltmans, as High Performance Director. Your thoughts?
Roelant is one of the best professionals I know and he is also a mentor of sorts for me. Had he not been convinced about the potential that exists he wouldn’t have taken the job. A professional of his calibre wouldn’t want to spoil his reputation.
There isn’t a major tournament in 2013 but 2014 is going to be a huge year with the Asian Games, the world cup and the Commonwealth Games. How do you plan to use 2013 to prepare for 2014?
I want to use the rest of 2013 to get two Indian men’s teams ready so that we have a far greater talent pool to choose from. It will also mean that our senior team isn’t overexposed and don’t run the threat of a burnout and will ensure that the best teams in the world don’t see us at all tournaments. Then we can blow them away when we meet them in the big tournaments like the world cup and Asian Games.