Tokyo Olympics 2020: Hope this bronze motivates next generation to bring home gold, says Manpreet Singh

New Delhi: The Indian men’s hockey team turned a corner in their history with a third-place finish at the recently-concluded Tokyo Olympics. The team, led by Manpreet Singh, ended India’s 41-year wait for an Olympics medal  in hockey with a thrilling 5-4 win over European giants Germany. Speaking to mediapersons at a press event recently, Manpreet shared his experience of leading the team to the podium. Excerpts: The 41-year wait for an Olympic medal in hockey is finally over. As the captain of the team that has done it, has the feeling finally sunk in? Yes, it is sinking in slowly but surely. When I started playing hockey, all I had heard were the tales on the glory days of men’s hockey. The last time we won a gold medal in hockey at the Olympics was in 1980, and I was not even born then. So you know, I had always seen Olympic glory as a distant dream. This was my third Olympics. In 2012, we finished last, while in 2016, we went down in the quarter-finals and finished seventh. So, this time, I was determined to finish on the podium. We entered the semi-final with a lot of belief but sadly couldn’t win. However, I do hope that this bronze motivates the next generation to bring home gold. You have been part of three Olympics now. How is this team different from say, in Rio, although some players were part of the previous Games too? Yes, a few of us had the experience of playing in Rio which came in handy as we shared that experience with the younger lot. I would say this team showed great mental resilience and fortitude. We showed a tremendous capacity to bounce back. Coming back from a 1-7 loss against Australia was not easy, but coach Graham Reid sat with us and showed the video analysis. We realised that we had actually played a decent game on many parameters, but the Aussies were better on that day. We then bounced back strongly and played some exciting hockey that put us in a medal position. What was the mood in the change room between the semi-final loss to Belgium and the bronze medal match against Germany? The loss to Belgium was closer than what the 5-2 scoreline suggests. Both teams had their chances, and the one that converted theirs won. Obviously, the boys were distraught. I told them that we have lost a chance to win gold, but we still have a chance to go home with a bronze. I asked them to remember their struggles and play the best 60 minutes of hockey they can against Germany so that there are no regrets. I said, ‘let’s not leave a scope of kaash (what if).’ So yes, the mood was sombre initially but we quickly realised we still had a chance to win bronze. A lot of previous Indian teams have been guilty of conceding late goals and losing the match from winning positions. This team came back from two goals down against Germany. What happened? Yes, teams in past have been guilty of losing matches from the winning position. Even we lost the Asian Games 2018 semi-final to Malaysia after they scored in dying minutes and took the game to penalties. That loss really made us think. As a team, we vowed that we will not gift matches like this ever again. We worked very hard on our defence. We worked on holding possession after taking lead in the last quarter and keeping the ball in the opposition half as much as possible. All these little changes helped create a habit. Also, the team is physically very fit. So, we don’t tire in the dying minutes anymore and let the opposition outrun us. [caption id=“attachment_9880981” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Manpreet Singh and PR Sreejesh celebrate India’s win in the bronze medal playoff against Germany. Image: AP[/caption] The last quarter against Germany was very tense, and you could be heard exhorting the boys. What was your thought process then, and when they earned a penalty corner with six seconds remaining? Yes, that last quarter was very tense as both teams were really neck and neck in the competition. They scored in the fourth quarter and reduced the lead to just one goal. I was constantly reminding my boys to hang in there for just 15 minutes. All of us have sacrificed a lot in our lives to reach here, and I didn’t want us to go home empty-handed. I told the boys, ‘jaan laga do’ (give your all), and that’s what they did. Even when Germany earned a PC in the dying moments of the game, all of us were confident that PR Sreejesh will save it. We quietly put on our protective gear and took our positions under the bar. We were determined not to let the ball cross the goal line at any cost. Our first rusher Amit Rohidas was in great form throughout the Olympics. He generally mans the area left of Sreejesh, leaving the goalkeeper to worry about his right and centre. Sree, who was in good form himself, stopped the hit and the job was done. Tell us about the time the team spent in SAI Bengaluru during the lockdown. Did that, in a way, helped you guys bond better? Yes, indeed. The COVID-enforced lockdown was bad for a lot of people, but for us, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. We stayed together in tough times which brought the team closer. All we would do is just train and recover. Then, I contracted COVID and a few other guys got the infection because of me. That was a time when there was not much information available on COVID. We didn’t know how it would affect our lungs or physical strength. Once we were discharged from the hospital, our coaching staff gave us personalised schedules for recovery. Gradually, we regained full strength and fitness and resumed our training. Such testing phases bring the unit together. Was the heat in Tokyo an issue with your team and how did you prepare for the hot and humid conditions? It was quite hot in Tokyo, but luckily we went prepared. Harmanpreet Singh led a team to Tokyo in 2019 at an Olympics test event, and the boys shared their experiences with the rest of the squad. Then, in the weeks leading up to the Olympics, we trained in peak afternoon to get used to the sultry climate and glaring sunshine. The fitness, as I said , was top notch and we were ready for the challenge. Simranjeet Singh was not part of the initial squad, but once he got an opportunity, he made them count. Your thoughts on him? He is a very talented player. Unfortunately, he couldn’t make it to the first shortlist of 16 players, but once we had permission to add two more members, he got a place in the side. Indian hockey is blessed to have a number of talented youngsters, and to select 16 or 18 from a core group of 33 is a very tough job. There is a lot of healthy competition in the team and juniors keep the seniors on their toes, which is a very good sign for Indian hockey. I am very happy for Simranjeet that he made his chances count and scored. What are the next targets for the team? We have a short break now, after which the core probable will assemble in Bengaluru. Our next targets are the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games that are scheduled next year and the World Cup at home in 2023. We will surely try to win the Asian Games to book a direct berth for Paris Olympics in 2024.