30 October,2010 06:26 AM IST | | Ashwin Ferro
Indian Hockey team will not win top honours at upcoming Asian Games due to a flawed coaching system, says legendary German Coach in the city to promote modern coaching methods at Kenkre Football Academy
Indian sport has changed drastically since 1982, just like the Mumbai landscape back then when legendary coach Horst Wein first set foot on Mumbai. "Sadly, both have changed for the worst," International Hockey Federation (FIH) master coach Wein told MiD DAY yesterday on his arrival in Mumbai for an assignment with local football club Kenkre Academy.
Legendary German coach Horst Wein arrives at the Mumbai International
Airport last night. pic/ satyajit desai
Serious concern
While Mumbai's population explosion is an open secret, the state of sport is a cause for serious concern, felt Wein. "Just look up the history books and you will see that talent and technique have seen India excel in team sports like football, hockey, etc. Let's not talk about cricket for a change. But today, in the very same sports, India is nowhere. Reason being, modern sport is not about talent and technique alone, but about tactics and game intelligence. And in this context, India is 20 years behind." said Wein, who is in the city to train coaches, for a change.
The Indian coaching system is flawed, according to the 61-year-old professor of physical education at the Technical University of Munich, Germany and National Institute of Physical Education in Barcelona, Spain. "Coaches should never give out their knowledge as that results in players not using their own brains. That's what is happening with Indian sport. Coaches simply talk and players simply play without putting their mind into it. Instead, coaches should create tailor-made problems for players and let them emerge with solutions. This equips players to innovate on the field," explained Wein, who will be training the youth squads of Kenkre Academy and providing a glimpse of modern training techniques through an Orientation Seminar.
Hockey problem
Mention the words "Indian hockey", and Wein in livid. "The Indian hockey team did not fare well at the World Cup (finished ninth), were beaten 8-0 by Australia in the Commonwealth Games final and will not win the gold at the upcoming Asian Games," said Wein rather matter-of factly.u00a0u00a0
The reason is simple. "The players have the skill and technique to play well but their mind is not up to it and this again goes back to the coaching flaws during their younger days. The age to train kids is eight to 11. Here every trainee should be given maximum exposure to the ball (football, hockey, etc) through two-on-two, three-on-three and four-on-four games. But in India kids are directly thrown into 11-a-side games, wherein half the kids end up learning nothing," said Wein.
Brasa's good
However, all's not lost for the national game. "India have a good coach in Spaniard Jose Brasa, who has done quite well with the team and has brought in some modern techniques. But even he has his imitations because of the system is not forward-thinking. You can't blame him for any failures," Wein signed off.
