Gomes: Indian hockey in danger

Dubai: Former Indian hockey captain and Olympian Marcellus Gomes warned that the future of Indian hockey is in danger.

Gomes was here as the coach of the Mumbai's Friends United Sports Club that lifted the Seiko Cup tournament, organised by Lusitanians hockey club.

"I am worried about the future because the number of players is fast decreasing. The quality of the game is also not as good as it used to be in the past," felt the captain who had led India to many historic victories.

Shrewd captain

"Cities like Mumbai and Kolkata used to produce excellent players.

"But, over the years the numbers have fallen drastically and it is important to take note of this fall," he pointed out.

Contrary to many, Gomes does not believe that it is the domination and popularity of cricket that has affected the progress of hockey.

"Domination of cricket has nothing to do with the decline of hockey.

"No one should compare cricket with hockey because hockey is totally a different ball game," he noted.

Gomes was known to be a shrewd captain and an excellent thinker of the game. Today, he is one of the finest coaches in the country and has produced many stars of the likes of Viren Rasquinha, who too went on to captain India. Elaborating the causative factors, he added, "Hockey is declining not due to lack of facilities, but children now stop playing hockey once they reach the ninth or tenth.

"Most colleges do not have hockey teams too. Earlier, if you were a hockey player one could get jobs, but today there are no jobs.

"Only a player who reaches the highest level can probably get a job."

Expensive

"People have stopped playing hockey with an eye to getting a proper job."

Another significant factor that he pointed out was that hockey is played only in the second half of the academic year and so many children never turn up for matches.

"Hockey was once a poor man's game.

"Today it is very expensive to play this game. A hockey stick costs Rs900 (Dh90)," he said.

Gomes is also sad that Bandra, a suburb in Mumbai, which used to throw up a lot of fresh talent, does not any longer produce good players.

"Big cities have stopped producing talent.

"The Indian team is now getting a few players because of the academies from north and south India."

"Most colleges do not have a hockey team. It was once a poor man's game. Today it is very expensive to play this game. A hockey stick costs Rs900 (about Dh90). Big cities have stopped producing talented players..."

Marcellus Gomes
Former Indian captain