Can Spaniard Brasa inspire India's hockey revival?

After being down in the dumps since failing to qualify for the Olympics for the first time since 1928, the Indian men's hockey team is aiming to resurrect itself under the guidance of Spaniard Jose Brasa.

After being down in the dumps since failing to qualify for the Olympics for the first time since 1928, the Indian men's hockey team is aiming to resurrect itself under the guidance of Spaniard Jose Brasa.

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The first step in the bid to revive the sagging fortunes of the country's national game, is the four-nation European tour that the team has now embarked on under new chief coach Brasa.

Brasa advice to Indian hockey to forget about the country's past glory, signified by its eight Olympic gold medals till 1980, would not have gone down well with the hockey stalwarts of the past.

The Spaniard's pointed reference that hockey in India is content to rest on laurels earned almost three decades ago and that its players have not adapted to the amended international rules are bitter pills to swallow for the hockey fans.

"Indian hockey seems to be living in the past. My task is to ensure that they (players) change their pattern of play to produce better results," were his words before departing for Europe to play 12 Test matches against higher ranked teams England, Belgium, Spain and Netherlands.