Manpreet Singh on Indian hockey’s revival: ‘The mindset. That’s the biggest change… (Earlier) We went to the Olympics just to participate’

Manu Bhaker has a new fan. She is just two-and-a-half years old, and is the daughter of India’s hockey talisman Manpreet Singh. “Even at home, she says her name,” Manpreet smiles.

Jasmine, Manpreet adds, also had a bronze medal around her neck after the Paris Olympics – the one her father, and one of India’s go-to men in crisis, won.

At the Tokyo Olympics, Manpreet led the team on its return to the podium after more than four decades. In Paris, he held the team together. Marshalling the midfield, dropping back to help the defence when the situation demanded and rushing out to stop penalty corners.

In an interview with The Indian Express, the former captain who has made 378 international appearances, reflects on the campaign, explains how Indian hockey – after decades of hurt and disappointment – managed consecutive podium finishes at the Olympics, and why he is optimistic about the future of this team.

Excerpts:

Have you had the time to reflect on the campaign? Is there a moment that makes you smile?

Of course. The smiles on our faces after winning the medal; that was a very satisfying moment, the happiness that we won medals at back-to-back Olympics. You could see it on the faces of each and every one of us.

Till the semifinal, all our matches went well during this campaign. The team showed a mindset that… we keep talking about those things. The semifinal was a close match. It could have been better. But it’s better not to get into ifs and buts.

Manpreet Singh in action (Reuters)

You made your debut at the Olympics 12 years ago, when India finished 12th out of 12 teams. Even one Olympic medal looked a distant possibility back then. Now, the team has won two. What has changed?

The mindset. That’s the biggest change. Earlier, we thought, ‘oh, we are playing Australia!’ We went to the Olympics just to participate. That has changed. I think the pandemic was a very bad period for most but for us, the team, it was a good period, to be honest. During that period, we spent a lot of time at the camp and understood the value of hard work, and began respecting each other as teammates. Also, before Tokyo, we had defeated almost every team in the Pro League. So the momentum was there and confidence.

A lot has changed since 2012. There’s a lot more use of analytical tools in hockey now, the fitness has to be good. If you aren’t fit, it’s not possible to survive in international hockey. So those things have changed too. We had to have the knowledge and understanding of how to execute our gameplans. Slowly, as the coaches started to come – first Terry (Walsh), then Roelant (Oltmans)… coaches kept coming but one thing everyone ensured is that the Indian hockey masala remained front and centre. Everyone knew Indian players had magical skills and that should remain an integral part of how the team played. Continue playing attacking hockey.

Then, there was the Hockey India League. Suddenly, we were all playing with our idols. For example, I looked up to Moritz Fuerste. So when I played with him, I looked at not just how he played but also how his mindset was off the field, the way he prepared himself for a match.

Manpreet Singh shone in an attacking role as India put four past Ireland in an FIH Pro League game. (PHOTO: Hockey India)

It has taken us a long time to reach this far. There were blips too; the Asian Games bronze in 2018 was one such moment. But everyone remained confident. We first started winning continuously in Asia, then we started to look at moving up the ladder in the world. For that, it really helped that we began playing very frequently against top teams. That really built our confidence.

The Olympic cycle hadn’t been particularly smooth, though. After the medal in Tokyo, the team couldn’t reach the quarterfinals of the World Cup last year. How did the team come back from that?

We were very disappointed. We were in good form; had a good group stage at the World Cup. But in the pre-quarterfinal, we didn’t play our game against New Zealand. When we returned to the camp, we spoke about it openly and immediately shifted to the next assignment rather than dwelling on what had already happened. It was important to take lessons from that defeat and ensure we don’t repeat the same mistakes. A basketball player has said ‘you never lose, you always learn.’ It taught us how to maintain our level in crucial matches. Those lessons helped us in Paris…

Manpreet Singh has played a crucial role in India winning back-to-back Olympic bronze (PHOTO: Hockey India)

(In Paris,) the team had a different style for each opponent. The tactical acumen shown was not seen much before.

This had been in the works for a long time. Craig (Fulton, the chief coach) gave us a lot of freedom and his philosophy is such that it allowed us to make mistakes. If we made one, the team would be there to back up. We had two or three plans going into a match. The opponents are watching us, too. So Craig had back-up plans and a back-up for the back-up too.

You said the pandemic helped in team bonding. This time, you all went to the Alps. Such trips are not common in Indian hockey. Were you surprised by the idea?

We didn’t know a thing about it. And that was the fun part. From a luxurious life, you were living in the woods, a hard life. The same thing happens during a game too. You never know what’s going to happen in the next moment. You have to adapt. The drills we did – there was one involving rope climbing, for example – taught us how to guide each other, how to have each other’s backs. It was scary. Hockey field se seedha ice par… different experience. If they had told us beforehand, you would have had the option of pulling out. But here, we didn’t know until we reached there.

Back-to-back Olympic medals, the team that still has scope for improvement and the return of the Hockey India League… is the team ready to take the next step?

The HIL will be a very big platform for the next generation. As a young player, when you share the dressing room and learn from them (top players), it gives you wings. I can sense that more people are following us now. And we are now at a stage where the sport is ready to explode.

New Delhi: Indian Hockey player Manpreet Singh with his family on his arrival at the Indira Gandhi International Airport, in New Delhi, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024. Indian Hockey team won bronze medal at the Paris olympic. (PTI Photo/Manvender Vashist Lav)

Your daughter saw you win the medal in Paris. How special a moment was that?

She is a Manu Bhaker fan now! Even at home she says her name. Let’s see if she picks up a sport – I’ll be happy if she picks up any sport, shooting, hockey… Let’s see what destiny has in store for her.

Personally, what’s your next target?

What’s keeping my hunger alive is the 2026 World Cup. If my fitness and performance remains, I will think about (LA 2028). If not, then let’s see.

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