Team is capable of beating the best: Edwards
Former India goalkeeper Alloysius Edwards feels that the Manpreet Singh-led Indian hockey team in next month’s Tokyo Olympics is the best and the fittest ever to compete in recent memory and has a very good chance of making it to the last-four stage.
“This Indian team has class and I am pretty confident that the first-time Olympians should all be excited to give their best,” 52-year-old Edwards said in a chat with The Hindu.
“This team is capable of beating the best and fitness is the key, unlike in the past. Maintaining such high levels despite the pandemic is a tribute to their hard work and determination,” said the former India captain.
Taking pride
He takes pride in revealing that it was he as junior national selector who insisted that goalkeeper P.R. Sreejesh be given exposure in 2004 itself though the top brass in the IHF was not keen. “But, I stood my ground and am glad that Sreejesh is the best goalkeeper now,” Edwards said.
“Honestly, picking Sreejesh as the only goalkeeper in the squad might be too harsh on him. There will be pressure on him to play safe to avoid injuries. It will be interesting to see whether he can display his robust style of goalkeeping,” he said.
“I also feel good to see midfielder Hardik Singh in the Olympics squad as I encouraged him also a lot as junior national selector,” he said.
