Mumbai, Aug 27 (UNI) The Indian hockey players in their bid to qualify for the Olympics in China next year will be training in Germany.
The training will include playing the highly competitive league on weekends in Germany and train with German coaches during the weekdays.
India Hockey Coach Joaquim Carvalho, who is presently in Chennai preparing for India's conquest in the Asia Cup beginning next month, has come up with this idea that will see 22 players in action in the German league, sources stated.
According to Carvalho, this would be a good preparation for the players as the German league is a very competitive one with players from countries such as Australia, Korea, Netherlands and Argentina, turning up, sources added.
This idea of playing in the German league was given by former India Coach Gerald Rach to the Indian Hockey Federation which has accepted it.
Carvalho and other coaches who are assisting him --M M Somaya and M P Singh will take turns to be in Germany to oversee the training of the players as well as watch their performance in the league.
The Olympic qualifiers are scheduled in New Zealand, Chile and Japan and only a title triumph in one of these tournaments, depending on which tournament India are drawn, will see the eight-time Olympic gold medallists through to Beijing.
UNI