'I had a speech about Indian tigers and the eye of a tiger, the symbol and the stone I gave the girls. It was more about the behaviour of a tiger, how it hunts, how it is patient, how it is calm, how it deals with setbacks and keeps going.'
Key Points
- Coach Sjoerd Marijne inspired the Indian women's hockey team with a "tiger" analogy, emphasising patience, calm, and resilience for their Asian Games final.
- India secured a historic Asian Games gold medal after 44 years by defeating defending champions China 1-0, directly qualifying for the Los Angeles Olympics.
- Marijne highlights the team's growing depth, with a mix of experienced and young players, crucial for future success towards LA28.
- The coach stresses the importance of continuous improvement and avoiding complacency, despite the Olympic qualification, as other teams will intensify their efforts.
Indian women's hockey team chief coach Sjoerd Marijne gave a clear message to his players before the Asian Games final against China -- imbibe the qualities of a tiger and the result will follow.
A resilient India beat defending champions and Olympic silver medallist China 1-0 in the final to win their first Asian Games gold medal in 44 years, with Lalremsiami's 10th minute strike proving to be decisive.
The 'Tiger' Philosophy Behind The Win
"I had a speech about Indian tigers and the eye of a tiger, the symbol and the stone I gave the girls. It was more about the behaviour of a tiger, how it hunts, how it is patient, how it is calm, how it deals with setbacks and keeps going," Marijne told PTI in an exclusive interview after the historic triumph.
"It's the biggest symbol of India, of course. So that's what I said in my meeting."
Marijne had arrived at the Asian Games with a clear objective of winning gold at the Asian Games and directly qualify for Los Angeles Olympics, and the Dutchman said the belief was always there.
"The belief was there throughout the World Cup last month. If I look at the first match against China, it was the first time we played against a high-ranked country at a big tournament. What I saw there really gave me a good feeling that we really can achieve something with this team," he said.
"Of course, we had done well at the FIH Nations Cup and the World Cup qualifier, but this was different. These were better teams. From there on, I really felt that we could also win gold at the Asian Games.
"And the most important thing is not that I felt it, but that the girls felt it," he said.
Impact And Future Aspirations
India's gold has brought renewed attention to women's hockey in India.
"I've not been busy with the historical facts, and I'm also not so busy with what it does for me. What I really like is how much joy it brings to people in India, how excited and emotional they are, and how many young kids we have inspired," said Marijne, who had guided Indian women to a historic fourth place finish in Tokyo Olympics.
The coach also credited the team's ability to meet the demands of modern day hockey and at the same time have fun off the field.
"It's not something that I do myself, it's something that we do with the whole staff. It's about pushing the girls, but at the right moment, having enjoyment together. It's a combination of many, many things. It's not just one thing," he said.
Building For LA28 And Beyond
With eight players making their Asian Games debuts and earlier 11 debutants in the World Cup squad, Marijne sees greater depth in the squad as India build towards LA28.
"I think we have a little bit more depth now than we had in the past. Young talent is coming up, so we have a good mix of experienced players, senior players and junior players," he said.
Marijne also cautioned that qualification for LA28 cannot become a reason for complacency.
"We have to keep improving. We can't sit back and say, okay, we are qualified. It's only in two years. We have to keep working really hard because the other teams are now working really hard to qualify. They will put in all the effort and try to be at their best." said the coach.
"If we think we can take things lightly, then we will struggle. So we need to be at our best."
Coach Marijne's Deep Connection With India
The coach's association with India has also extended beyond the hockey pitch. From bike rides and filter coffee in Bengaluru to learning Hindi, Marijne says the country has become a second home for him.
"Yeah, absolutely. I'm very closely connected with India and with everything happening with the team -- how much people celebrate us, how they cheer for us, the comments on social media, how happy and thankful they are, and how respectful they are. I feel very respected here," he said.
Looking back at Tokyo, the World Cup and the Asian Games, Marijne finds it difficult to choose one defining moment.
"Of course, the Olympics is really special because of the COVID situation. I spent one-and-a-half years not being home. But I must say what happened this year, the World Cup and this are also in my top three experiences. We are enjoying so much," he said.
