Top Teams Would be Wary of India: Ex-India Coach Jose Brasa
Rewind to the first half of 2024 – the Indian men’s hockey team did not quite have a ‘great run’ in the run up to the 2024 Paris Olympics – the team was whitewashed by Australia in a five Test series at Perth and at the 2023-24 Pro League, the national team finished a disappointing 7th only ahead of Spain and Ireland – their worst-ever performance in the Pro League (the team had always finished among the top four in previous editions). However, the bronze medal win at the 2024 Paris Olympics not only buried ‘all that disappointment’ but also generated ‘Indian men’s hockey is back on track’ feeling among the hockey fraternity. Understandably, the Paris Olympics bronze triumph evoked diverse opinions from diverse quarters. We all know the ‘discussion on Indian hockey’ would always be a ‘never-ending one’ be it a case of winning a coveted medal or a setback in a major tournament – that’s Indian hockey and the passionate following of the sport for you!
Former Indian men’s hockey team coach Jose Brasa, who closely follows Indian hockey even thought he exited the ‘hot seat’ fourteen years back, finds it hard to control his excitement when a confabulation surrounds the Indian team. “It’s so wonderful to see the Indian men’s hockey team in action – they have so much flair – the pace at which they play and they dribbles can be very unsettling for teams across the globe. Indian team indulges in risk-taking hockey very unlike European teams that do not take so much risk,” Brasa pours out his thoughts in an exclusive chat with Hockey Passion from Belgium where he is currently based as coach of Old Club of Liege.
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The 73-year-old Spaniard, who first shot into prominence when he coached the Spain women’s hockey team to a gold medal at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, believes the Blueshirts have enhanced their reputation as a quality side and back-to-back bronze medals is a testimony to that. “Look, current Olympic champions Belgium exited in the quarterfinals, while 2021 Olympics runners-up Australia were shunted out in the quarterfinals, which world hockey order is changing. I think Indian hockey can only build on from here on – top teams such as Netherlands, Germany, Australia, and Belgium would be wary of India – I reckon these sides won’t be comfortable having India in their pool or run into them in the knockout phase of any major tournaments such as the World Cup and Olympics because the Indian team have the ammunition to play any top side,” Brasa quips.
It was under Brasa that the Indian men’s hockey team had bagged bronze and silver medal at the 2010 Asian Games and 2010 Commonwealth Games. And he is elated to see the fitting swangsong of goalkeeper PR Sreejesh, whom he has observed closely during his initial playing days as India coach. “Sreejesh has to be the world’s best goalkeeper although there are quite a few good goalkeepers around like Jean-Paul Danneburg and Vincent Banashch whom I rate very highly. Sreejesh has this ability to deliver under pressure. At the 2021 Tokyo Olympics bronze medal play-off against Germany, he foiled so many German attempts in the closing minutes and against in the 2024 Paris Olympics bronze medal play-off against Spain, he orchestrated a fine performance thwarting Spanish raids in the dying moments of the game. I’m sure it would be big Sreejesh shoes to fill in for the likes of Krishan Pathak and Suraj Karkera and I hope they stand up strong for India.”
It may be worth mentioning that Brasa had coached India in 62 matches during his one-and-a-year-half stint – under him, India had won 33 games, lost 19, and drew 10.
