‘Senior players must show up’: Chief coach Janneke Schopman

Women’s coach Schopman believes Jr Asia Cup win proves that establish dribblers can’t take their places for granted

Senior India hockey players cannot take their place in the side for the upcoming Asian Games for granted after the success of the junior women’s team in the Asia Cup in Japan recently, chief coach Janneke Schopman has said.

The junior women’s team returned to Bangalore on Tuesday after displayed superb skills defeating four-time champions Korea 2-1 in the summit clash to clinch their maiden Asia Cup title in Kakamigahara, Japan on Sunday. 

The Dutch tactician also said that the age of junior players will not come in the way of their selection in the India side for the Asian Games, to be held in Hangzhou, China in September-October this year.

“I was able to see everyone off the field and on the field and their performances. Let’s see what happens, but the senior core group is quite competitive and people have to show up in every session to get selected,” Schopman, who coached the junior Asia Cup side, said in a virtual press conference on Tuesday.

Also Read: Indian junior women's hockey team qualifies for FIH Junior World Cup

“Age is not the deciding factor [for team selection for the Asian Games] and we winning the Junior Asia Cup means players showed up, so I [I’ll] definitely take that into consideration. I’m quite happy with the performance of the players in the Junior Asia Cup and the thing for me was always to use the Australia tour and Junior Asia Cup to have 25 out of our 33 players [in core probables] performing,” she added.

Schopman also said she will complete the task of selecting the squad for the quadrennial continental showpiece this month, although the deadline set by the organisers is July 15.

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