Ex-Indian Goalkeeper Jude Menezes Traces his Journey as Japan Eves Coach
Former Indian Goalkeeper Jude Menezes has attained a fair bit of success as chief coach of the Japan women’s hockey team – a side he took charge replacing Spaniard Xavier Arnau (three-time Olympian) after Japan’s 11th place finish at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.
The 53-year-old Mumbaikar, who was employed with Bharat Petroleum before he decided to migrate to New Zealand in June 2002, made his impact in the ‘hot seat’ as Japan won the 2021 Asian Champions Trophy at Donghae as well as the 2022 Asia Cup at Muscat. There were disappointments as well – Japan eves as reigning Asian Games champions failed to make a podium finish at the 2023 edition at Hangzhou. “We had some successful outcomes along the way. Qualifying for the Paris Olympics and picking up a bronze at the Ranchi Olympic Qualifiers was probably the biggest high points. I told my girls when I took over that we not just going for participation and stressed on the importance of standing on the podium. We won back-to-back tourneys (2021 Asian Champions Trophy & 2022 Asia Cup) as well as bronze at the 2022 FIH Nations Cup besides a silver medal at the 2023 Asian Champions Trophy. I think achieving 5 podium finishes in nearly three years is reasonably successful, especially in a country where hockey is not a big sport,” Menezes rewinds his journey as Japan eves coach in an exclusive chat with Hockey Passion.
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Menezes, who made 133 international appearance for India – his last international appearance being the 2002 Kuala Lumpur World Cup, believes the Japan coaching stint has helped evolve as a coach. “For sure, it made me a better person as well as a better coach. I leveraged my time in Japan really well because I’ve completed my FIH Level 5 coaching qualification – the highest qualification you have in among the levels. I watched almost every hockey game that’s played and you’re learning all the time. So Japan stint was an opportunity to better myself,” he shares his perspectives.
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The two-time World-Cupper and 2000 Olympian, who was recently appointed as Head of Hockey at Auckland Hockey, is categorical that the call to exit the Japan coach job was a well-thought-out one and not taken in a tearing hurry. “I made up my mind to leave Japan around March 2024 after we had qualified for the Olympics at Ranchi in January 2024. Regardless of where we finished at Paris, I was determined to get back home to Auckland as it was really hard living alone in Tokyo by myself for three years and achieved what I set out to achieve, in terms of my learning. Of course, I conveyed my decision to the Japan hockey federation after the Paris Olympics and mutually agreed on the move as my contract was supposed to end on October 31, 2024,” he reels out his thoughts.
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For someone who was involved in multiple coaching stints with New Zealand hockey for more than two decades, the Japan coaching stint was altogether a different experience. “New Zealand and Japan are two contrasting cultures – New Zealand is very modernized, very outspoken in everything they do while Japan is a bit more reserved culturally and is a male-dominated society, and has a lot of similarities to India. The Japan stint was different and I really enjoyed the experience,” Menezes recounts with a glint of pride.
The former New Zealand women’s team coach pours out his thoughts on the hockey structure in Japan. “In Japan, a lot of people don’t even know hockey is a sport. Unlike India where players are offered government jobs – essentially paid to play hockey, in Japan there are university teams that compete and once players finish their university studies they vie for berths in four professional teams run by corporate giants – Sony, Coca Cola, GlaxoSmithKline, and Nantobank. Every player coming through the ranks are vying for a berth in these four clubs who take good care of the players,” quips the Soorma Hockey Club chief coach.
For the record, Menezes took over the reins of the Japan women’s hockey team in late 2021 – a stint that nearly lasted three years.
