Well, the changes have been made. I cannot say how effective the two new assistant coaches will be in this time and set-up, but I must say that the only reaction I had after the Amstelveen show was ‘disastrous’.

It was an unexpected result. Just before the Olympics, this does make one uncomfortable. At the same time — and I am not trying to make an excuse out of this — the team was off hockey for nearly a month. This can affect the hockey prowess of a team. When off a straight physical training session, you go into a tournament (two matches versus a weak US notwithstanding), and a tournament almost as strong as a Champions Trophy, anything can happen.

Consider the fact that the other teams had kept on playing competitive hockey.

Yet, this isn’t an excuse, and shouldn’t be.

Yes, the US camp should have been followed by enough hockey before this strong tourney. Earlier too, we have gone into Olympic Games and World Cups without sufficient match practice. And then we start off badly.

I remember, on our way to the Tokyo Olympics, we had lost the first preparatory Test in New Zealand. But thereafter we kept on improving. You peak through matches only.

Maybe the physical training camp could have been organised a month earlier, putting in more matches in Europe before the Olympics. But, then, hindsight is always 20-20.

Gagan Ajit Singh played below par

We do hope for the best, and, asides, we do hope that the others have peaked a bit too early. We still have a month to go and we have another four-nation meet to go through, apart from other matches in Europe. They will be training in Germany itself, and maybe Germany would want to play more matches with India. After all, the Germans are in a different pool.

The defence keeps me disappointed. Goalie to midfield, except for Viren Rasquinha — he put his heart and soul into all he did, he was a hard trier — there are players I would like to forget.

Who does that leave coach Rajinder Singh with, especially when veteran stars like Dhanraj Pillays aren’t what they were?

India play Holland first, on our Independence Day, yet I must say that in the last four-nation meet India actually played well versus Holland, the 0-2 defeat notwithstanding. We created more chances and missed out on several penalty corners. This is not wishful thinking, but we could have won that match. The rest of the meet was simply down the hill. Versus Pakistan we were a washout, played a little in the first half versus Germany before the low confidence level of the players started showing up.

Somehow, the Indian players seem to keep missing any level of mental toughness. We need to be able to come back.

I noticed that in the meet the goalkeeping in general (for all teams) was atrocious. Some very silly goals have been taken in. The ’keepers seem to be a perplexed a lot in present day hockey. Their jobs have been made difficult with the new off-side rule. Consider the final, where Holland lost 4-5 to Germany. Some weird goals went in. Both our ’keepers performed badly.

Our half-line failed miserably. The forwards were lonesome, except for the first match, and that included old-timers — Gagan Ajit Singh played below par, Prabhjot Singh played below par, William Xalco was at most workmanlike…

Our players today cannot complain about anything. The IHF, the sponsors and the government have provided all possible facilities. It is upto the boys now.

I don’t think we were lacking in physical fitness, but we were surely lacking in a defensive strategy and in mental toughness.

None of us has come out of this with our heads held high. But I must say that had this happened to Holland or Germany, they surely would have done everything to lift their game.

Everything isn’t lost, much depends on July 16, 17 and 18 (the four-nation meet in Germany) and I am sure the experience will help.

I remember suggesting that the final pick of the squad be done after the Amstelveen meet itself. Thankfully, my suggestion wasn’t taken. Hopefully, in a new atmosphere, we will see them playing good hockey.