The Hindu : Sport : ‘Physical fitness is very important’

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Sep 04, 2007
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Sport

Sport

‘Physical fitness is very important’

K. Keerthivasan

CHENNAI: The Chinese hockey team is warming down at one end of the Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium after its match on Monday in the Asia Cup.

On the other side is a distraught Thailand picking up the pieces after a huge defeat, 13-0 to be precise.

Kim Sang Ryul, the coach is getting ready for his next task even as the Chinese physio and the manager go about their jobs in a clinical fashion.

One of the most sought after coaches in the world, Kim, has got used to the media attention since arriving in the city.

Kim is one of the successful Asian coaches without a shadow of doubt.

He had coached South Korea to silver in the 2000 Sydney Olympics and two Asia Cup men’s titles in 1994 and ’99.

“For me, physical fitness is very important,” he says about his basic approach to coaching. “And I don’t like dribbling. I like quick passing. That’s my style of hockey,” says the confident Korean.

Indian connection

Kim did his National Institute of Sports (NIS) course in Patiala under Balkishen Singh. “He (Balkishen) taught me a lot about professional coaching and how a coach must organise a team, plot strategies against opponents and be clever.”

Kim shot back into the limelight in the 2006 Doha Asian Games.

It was Kim who plotted China’s upset win over India at Doha that sent shockwaves across the hockey fraternity.

“Hockey is a new sport for the men’s team in China. The good thing is they are keen to improve. When I saw the players, I saw a lot of possibilities. They are very disciplined,” says Kim.

China has a do-or-die match against favourite Korea on Wednesday.

Kim will have to impart his Midas Touch if China has to keep its hopes alive.

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