Mandeep Shares Insights on Training Camp with McCann Before Pro League Matches

New Delhi, Feb 27 (NationPress) The Indian men’s hockey team exhibited an impressive performance in the FIH Hockey Pro League 2024-25 (Men), securing victory in five out of eight matches. This achievement was supported by a week-long coaching camp for strikers, conducted in Bhubaneswar.

The Indian team currently ranks third in the points table, trailing only behind England and Belgium, while the Netherlands, Germany, and Australia occupy the fourth to sixth spots, respectively. The finale is set for June.

To enhance the Indian team's performance during this pivotal year, especially with FIH Men’s World Cup qualification at stake, Hockey India invited the renowned former Australian forward and strikers' coach Michael McCann for a coaching camp in Bhubaneswar from February 6 to 12. McCann was part of Australia’s illustrious team that clinched the Olympic gold in Athens in 2004 and won gold in the FIH Champions Trophy held in Chennai in 2005.

He is also a recipient of two silver medals from the FIH Men’s World Cup and a back-to-back gold medalist at the Commonwealth Games in 2002 and 2006. Over the past eight years, McCann has worked closely with both the German U21 side and the senior squad.

Highlighting the significance of collaborating with experts like McCann, particularly during the training phases leading up to the Men’s Asia Cup this year and the World Cup and Asia Cup next year, India’s chief coach Craig Fulton stated, “Having Michael here before our Pro League campaign was invaluable. This experience will greatly benefit the younger players in the squad. Although it was a brief camp, it proved to be exceptionally effective. We focused on the fundamentals and also held one-hour off-field sessions for players to engage with him. We are eager to arrange more sessions like this as we approach the World Cup and Asian Games next year.”

Expounding on the camp, seasoned Indian striker Mandeep Singh, who scored a spectacular goal against Ireland that turned the match from a 0-1 deficit to a 3-1 victory, remarked, “The camp was highly beneficial. Michael was not just informative on the field; his off-field sessions were also incredibly insightful, showcasing numerous short clips on targeted areas.

“I particularly appreciated learning about the basics inside the D, shooting on target from two feet away. He introduced us to new techniques related to strikers' leads and re-leads within the circle, as well as how to deflect from the nine-yard mark near the D with a two-touch to the goal, which were fascinating aspects we worked on.”

“The little details, such as the angle of the body while receiving the ball and fake-passing to deceive defenders in the D, were enjoyable to learn. Our performance in the Pro League saw us score numerous field goals, which reflects how beneficial this camp was for us; we successfully implemented the techniques learned during the matches,” he added.

Uttam Singh also emphasized the valuable lessons gained from the camp and expressed gratitude to Hockey India for the opportunity.

“I particularly enjoyed working on my finishing skills. Michael emphasized the art of finishing, especially when a full attempt on goal isn’t possible. He taught us about receiving the ball, positioning ourselves at the second post, and the importance of observing the goalkeeper’s position before taking a shot. These finer details will undoubtedly aid my development in the long run. It was a fantastic experience, especially for young players like me,” Uttam expressed.

The Indian men’s team is currently on a break and will reconvene in mid-March after the Hockey India Annual Awards taking place in New Delhi.