Players at peak of their fitness for SAF hockey tourney: Coach

Mumbai, July 24 (UNI) India's junior hockey coach Clarence Lobo said that the team which would travel to Sri Lanka for the upcoming SAF Games, beginning on August 16, is a developmental side and not a second string side.

Speaking to UNI here today, Lobo, who would travel with the team, said that the squad would be moe or less the same from the one which won the six-nation tournament in Poland earlier, with a few changes due to the fact that some players have been called to attend the senior's camp in Bangalore.

Admitting that there would be a lot of pressure on the young players at the South Asian meet, Lobo said that he was yet to chalk out the exact game plan for the tournament.

Stating that the SAF Games would be tough, he said the main challenge obviously would be Pakistan, who are also fielding a young team as well as the Bangladesh senior team, who according to him are good and capable of more than an upset or two.

He said he would plan their strategy after the four nation tournament early next month in which Pakistan is also taking part in Singapore.

''Our team will get some video footage of the Pakistani players after the tourney to work on,'' the Mumbai-based coach said.

Expressing satisfaction over the 15-day conditioning camp which concluded in Patiala recently, Lobo said the players were at the peak of their fitness during the period.

''The camp was quite good. The facilities, including a techno-gym, were excellent in Patiala and the boys enjoyed themselves.'' The players selected for the SAF Games will reunite at Chennai early next month to proceed with the final phase of the preparatory camp.

India would be leaving for Sri Lanka on August 14, two days before the SAF Games begin.

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