Monday 15 February 2010

Good morning,

The news about the bomb blast in Pune has much more effect to the coming World Cup in New Delhi then could be expected.

Of course this action of terror was the first after the Mumbai attack of 26/11 and everyone in India is very alert what will happen next.

In New Delhi the alert is extremely high and today the news that every hockey team to the WC will be guarded by armed police. It is without any doubt necessary but it also shows us the world we are living in.

It is 12 days before the World Cup will start and what should be the start of a reviving of the hockey sport in India has become more and more a fight against this same reviving.

So many issues came along from players payments, trainer issues, captaincy, problems with the Stadium and so on. And the big question is if this World Cup will help India back on their reviving or putting India even more down to earth.

From neighbour country Pakistan the hockey news has become more a nice boys story, today the article that the national team has no lack of confidence. It is very positive it will start with a good win over India in 12 days. Quote: 'He said he was sure if Pakistan play their natural game they would be victorious against their arch-rivals'.

Also one of the articles tell about the World Cup 1971 in Barcelona which was the first victory of Pakistan in the WC.

But this was also a championship what was under pressure of unsure political situations, it was shift from Lahore to Barcelona.

Have a nice day and keep smiling,

Hockey Asia