Holland’s Rob Derikx drives the ball past India’s William Xalco (left) and Prabhjot Singh in Athens on Sunday. Holland won 3-1. (AFP)

Athens: Gerhard Rach, the farm-fresh German, who is coaching the Indian hockey team at the Athens Olympic Games, believes there is a lesson in India’s 1-3 loss to Holland in their opening pool B match Sunday. “They are kids, this side,” he said. “They need to get acclimatised to the ‘wow’ of the games. And, more importantly, they cannot make the mistakes they made.”

Rach was referring especially to Sandeep Singh, the youngest member of the Indian hockey side (who, at just over 18, is also the youngest in the entire men’s hockey tournament here) whose rather silly mistake of late reaction let through the first Holland goal by Marten Eikelboom in the 11th minute. It was a match in which India played with gusto in the first half and faded in the second.

The lesson for the players is to not make those mistakes they have been trained to avoid, and one for Rach is that he believes “if this is the beginning, I am reasonably happy, and I feel having taken over the team for a short time, I have been able to make changes that you have seen, will pay dividends.”

One of the key changes that Rach has made, pretty visible at that, was the concentration of the defence. “Yes, it is more European in style, and is working. Also, I believe now my players will be able to convert a greater percentage of penalty corners.”

These reasonings come on the eve of India’s second match, “a match I have told the players we just have to win”, versus South Africa Tuesday evening. South Africa made it to the fray at the last moment when Greece were denied a place as hosts and the Court of Arbitration for Sport upheld the FIH’s decision to that effect.

South Africa were thought of as the minnows of the pool. Sunday, they proved otherwise. In a match that was pretty rough, South Africa shocked Argentina 2-1. South Africa’s Greg Nicol scored both goals, coming in the second half, after Argentina’s Mario Almada had put the Latin American country ahead in the first half.

“We must look out for their agressiveness,” said Rach. “Look, I am happy to be Indian coach. That’s because Indians are such a talented lot. Believe me, had I been offered the Pakistani or even the Australian team, I would have said ‘no’, because I believe I can make my ideas work in a team which is as talented as the Indians. And that is what I am basing and depending on for tomorrow. The qualification to the semi-finals is foremost on my min, and now no team in the Pool remains easy meat.”

There was a small spot of worry with skipper Dilip Tirkey having been hit on the side of the head in Sunday’s match, but Dr Vece Paes (doubling up as the hockey doctor) said there was no need for worry. “A mild concussion, now fine,” was how he put it. Tirkey himself said: “Tab to problem laga, lekin ab thik hoon main.”

Argentina have been India’s nemesis for long. The fact that South Africa beat them will worry the players. “The fact is, that this young team has to understand that this is the biggest stage they can get to,” Rach said. “I do not wish to see more of those errors.”

The fact is also that of a slowing Dhanraj Pillay. In fact, Pillay is also the oldest player in this entire Olympic hockey field here. He was caught stranded on many occasions versus Holland, and that could be on for the reasons the other two goals came through — via Teun de Nooijer, Teake Taekema — before Gagan Ajit Singh hit home through a penalty corner.

“You have seen our penalty corners, one scored and two saved brilliantly by the Dutch ’keeper (veteran Guus Vogels). They should have been goals too. That is another improvement I feel that the team will be able to rely on Tuesday,” Rach said. “Just that we also need to keep ourselves away from those fouls that may be forced upon us.”

Hope this warning works.