I didn't get enough time before WC: Baskaran

Blaming the media for hyping up the team's prospects, coach said three months were not enough for preparing the team for the event.

After the Indian team's dismal performance in the men's hockey World Cup in Germany, chief coach V Baskaran said that he did not get enough time to prepare the side for the high-profile event.

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Blaming the media for hyping up the team's prospects, Baskaran said three months were not enough for preparing the team for the World Cup, where India finished a lowly 11th.

"I only got three months while other teams got four years. And you people (media) raised the hopes," he said on the team's low-key arrival from Monchengladbach.

However, Baskaran insisted that the team played well at the quadrennial tournament.

"I think the boys played well. We made some mistakes, but you need enough time to overcome these," he said.

India cut a sorry figure by losing five of the seven matches they played. Several last-minute goals let down India as they lost to Germany (2-3), England (2-3), Korea (1-2), the Netherlands (1-6) and Argentina (1-2).

The Indians brought their only win the tournament when they managed a narrow 1-0 win against South Africa to avoid finishing last.

Earlier in the tournament, India had drawn 1-1 in the league stage against the same opposition.

Incidentally, India had finished ninth in the 9th World Cup, 10th in the 10th and 11th in the 11th edition of the tournament this year.