Bengaluru: The time for training is past. It’s time to put plans into action for the India hockey team. Following training sessions, a rigorous fitness regime and finetuning tactics along with skills, the Indian hockey team are set to embark on its Rio journey.
Boasting a fit squad, a visibly confident coach Roelant Oltmans and his wards are well prepared to take on the opposition. “We are prepared. It’s a challenge. We go there, we qualified, we are excited, and we have great players who all want to start the tournament,” said the Dutchman.
Having shown fighting spirit against top sides during the Champions Trophy, Oltmans wants the boys to the carry forward the momentum.
“It shows the capacity of this team. It shows the ability of the team against the top sides in the world. Now we need to show it was not a one-off. We still have to show that we can repeat it every match in the Olympic Games,” asserted Oltmans.
With medal-winning performances recently, skipper Sreejesh PR believes the team’s composition is perfect. “If you talk about this team, it’s a perfect match. From 2013, we are carrying this group — 35 or 40 members. So, the understanding the between the players has improved a lot. They gel well, they understand each other — on the field and off the field,” explained the custodian on Friday.
