Munna(mate),I have a slightly different opinion.I said improvement,improvement to me is number of people taking up the sport and the general level of the sport across all disciplines.There is certainly phases across Sports which can't be remain the same all the time.eg)Spainish Football Team won 2 Euros and 1 World cup in succession,now it might take them 50-100 yrs to repeat that ,but it does not mean Football in Spain has declined.
Similarly,i agree with what you said regarding our Weightlifting.We are nowhere close to winning a medal but number of weightlifters and their general performance have shown improvement.Eg)2015 World Weightlifting Championship.Our Women participated in 4-5 categories and all of them finished in top 20 across all categories.In 3 categories our women finished in top 10.So,its an improvement for me.
2-1 win for India. Dominated the game entirely but could not convert much as Korea relied mostly on counter. Korea equalized with just 4 minutes on the clock. Then in another minute we saw a brilliant goal to seal the match. SV Sunil is a total beast and probably in the best phase of his career. That guy can run with the ball faster than anyone else w/o the ball! When rested players come back in the team we will be a force to reckon with. Still feel we need someone like Sardara to be creative in the midfield and create penetrations when the opposition is way too defensive. Thrilling match. Totally worth my time
We totally dominated the game.Korea had zero penalty corners and just 3-4 circle entries.We had excellent defence structure and we our generally not conceeding loose goals.Had this been our full team it could have been a tennis score.Now,i feel we our invincible at Asian level.I say this because with our 2nd tier team if we are beating Korea when our forwards and Midfield had absolutely a terrible day,Neither our Penalty corners were working(No shot on goal with our 3 penalty corners) and then also if we are managing to beat them,then God save them when our full strength team is fully fit and playing percentage Hockey.
Our structure and discipline in general has improved.We had a similar sought of team at World Hockey League Semi-finals stage where we finished 4th(Qualified for Olympics) but we were hammered by Belgium and Britain (4-0 and 5-1 it was I think).So now playing 2-1 and 1-2 with them and a 50-50 game really shows our improvement.So,technically things look better for us as this is not our best team as Still 5-6 key players are missing.
However,players like Uthappa, Mandeep, Harjeet,Pradeep Mor out of the current team are not ready for the tournament level.Trust me when I say all these names our Average players.Surender has improved in this tournament and is generally playing good but he also still needs time to be a regular for India, specially for tournaments like Champions Trophy,Olympics,World Cup etc.S Ame with Talwinder.
All these guys have poor decision making,lack creativity,poor skills,and our generally back passers(not even parallel passers).They do School boy errors specially Mandeep,Harjeet and Uthappa.Pradeep first tour but he looks ordinary.Gurbaj was brilliant in his position but politics has caused him his place.
OUR DEFENCE HAS REALLY PLAYED WELL UPTO NOW,EXCEPT FOR SREEJESH AGAINST BELGIUM BUT REAL TEST WILL COME AGAINST AUSTRALIA.I am expecting it to be a close match so let's see what happens.
I am eager to see our full strength team at the Olympics and other major events in the coming time.I have a sneaky feeling will be amongst the medals at this Olympics and World cup's.India for me is ready to Challenge the best on a consistent basis now Olympics and World cup medals are foreseeable in near future.I really hope we get a medal this time because the core of the team really deserves it and their hard work needs to be rewarded by the Almighty.
Was this core team for Korea too? Hope so!! Great showing by the players. Maybe the last chance to grab a berth for Olympics is another reason for such improved performance.
Korea is the only team which has come with full strength supposedly. Rest all have rested key players. Germany has only 5 regulars in the squad. Netherlands even skipped the tourney on the advice of their coach. Medal in the Olympics is a far fetched dream. Top 5 finish would be more realistic
South Korea is the only team which is not playing in the Olympics, thats why they can afford to bring their Best Squad. Other teams will look at Champions Trophy as experimental nature and will not go full stretch so as to avoid injuries. It is actually surprising that FIH organised Champions Trophy just before Olympics. It is a premier tournament on its own and its value gets diminished when teams do not take it seriously as it is organised just before Olympics. With Euro Cup going on, its TV ratings also must be very low. Meanwhile Sardar Singh in more trouble
Guys,only Germany is not full strength. Belgium,Britain are full starting eleven's teams.
Australia is 98% percent full team.From Azlan Shah,Jamie Dwyer has been replaced by Glenn Turner(Scorer at HiL) and Jacob Wheton replaced by Trent Mitton.
Also,1 or 2 players always miss out but that does not mean they are not full strength.Yes,Germany is under strength but so is India.Rest all 4 teams are full strength.
Eg) In Euro's,France(No Benzema, Sakho,Lacazette etc) but still France is considered as full Strength.
So,1 or 2 players missing from16 is not under strength.Moreover, 1 or 2 players are just missing for Australia but they have equal replacement.Like I said Dwyer replaced by Turner(highest Scorer at HiL) and Wheton by Mitton.
Comments
Similarly,i agree with what you said regarding our Weightlifting.We are nowhere close to winning a medal but number of weightlifters and their general performance have shown improvement.Eg)2015 World Weightlifting Championship.Our Women participated in 4-5 categories and all of them finished in top 20 across all categories.In 3 categories our women finished in top 10.So,its an improvement for me.
Sreejesh caused us the match.Two blunders by him,Otherwise game was even.Sorry for the late post.
SV Sunil is a total beast and probably in the best phase of his career. That guy can run with the ball faster than anyone else w/o the ball!
When rested players come back in the team we will be a force to reckon with. Still feel we need someone like Sardara to be creative in the midfield and create penetrations when the opposition is way too defensive. Thrilling match. Totally worth my time
Our structure and discipline in general has improved.We had a similar sought of team at World Hockey League Semi-finals stage where we finished 4th(Qualified for Olympics) but we were hammered by Belgium and Britain (4-0 and 5-1 it was I think).So now playing 2-1 and 1-2 with them and a 50-50 game really shows our improvement.So,technically things look better for us as this is not our best team as Still 5-6 key players are missing.
However,players like Uthappa, Mandeep, Harjeet,Pradeep Mor out of the current team are not ready for the tournament level.Trust me when I say all these names our Average players.Surender has improved in this tournament and is generally playing good but he also still needs time to be a regular for India, specially for tournaments like Champions Trophy,Olympics,World Cup etc.S Ame with Talwinder.
All these guys have poor decision making,lack creativity,poor skills,and our generally back passers(not even parallel passers).They do School boy errors specially Mandeep,Harjeet and Uthappa.Pradeep first tour but he looks ordinary.Gurbaj was brilliant in his position but politics has caused him his place.
OUR DEFENCE HAS REALLY PLAYED WELL UPTO NOW,EXCEPT FOR SREEJESH AGAINST BELGIUM BUT REAL TEST WILL COME AGAINST AUSTRALIA.I am expecting it to be a close match so let's see what happens.
I am eager to see our full strength team at the Olympics and other major events in the coming time.I have a sneaky feeling will be amongst the medals at this Olympics and World cup's.India for me is ready to Challenge the best on a consistent basis now Olympics and World cup medals are foreseeable in near future.I really hope we get a medal this time because the core of the team really deserves it and their hard work needs to be rewarded by the Almighty.
Meanwhile Sardar Singh in more trouble
http://www.dnaindia.com/sport/report-delhi-commission-for-women-recommends-fir-against-indian-hockey-skipper-sardar-singh-in-sexual-assault-case-2224243
Australia is 98% percent full team.From Azlan Shah,Jamie Dwyer has been replaced by Glenn Turner(Scorer at HiL) and Jacob Wheton replaced by Trent Mitton.
Also,1 or 2 players always miss out but that does not mean they are not full strength.Yes,Germany is under strength but so is India.Rest all 4 teams are full strength.
Eg) In Euro's,France(No Benzema, Sakho,Lacazette etc) but still France is considered as full Strength.
So,1 or 2 players missing from16 is not under strength.Moreover, 1 or 2 players are just missing for Australia but they have equal replacement.Like I said Dwyer replaced by Turner(highest Scorer at HiL) and Wheton by Mitton.
Britain,Belgium and Korea are full Strength.
Germany and India are under strength.