Harendra Singh

New Delhi: Indian hockey’s coach-in-charge Harendra Singh on Wednesday promised to end his association with the game if Australian coach Ric Charlesworth’s assertion of beating his wards 10-0 comes true during the team’s tour Down Under.

Charlesworth, a former consultant with the Indian team, left the post under bitter circumstances last year and took up the Aussie coach’s job. He recently challenged Indians, saying the Aussies would beat them 10-0 during their two-Test tour Down Under.

“Indian hockey is not in a such a bad state that it will lose 10-0 to Australia or any side. If that happens it will be the last day of my association with hockey,” Harendra said when asked about Charlesworth’s statement.

On a high after the runners-up finish in the Punjab Gold Cup, Harendra said the team would be working on the grey areas of its game during the tours of Australia and New Zealand.

Harendra, under whom Indian hockey started its revival journey drawing last month’s four-Test away series against Argentina 2-2, said although the eight-time Olympic champions lost the Gold Cup final to Holland 1-2, there were a lot of positives to be taken from the event.

“Post Olympic qualifying debacle, the team was low on confidence and morale but the performance in Argentina and in the Punjab Gold Cup has brought back their confidence,” Harendra said on the sidelines of a function ahead of their departure to Australia on Wednesday.

“But there are certain areas which we have to work upon. We have to tighten our defence and avoid conceding soft penalty corners,” he said.

The two-match series against Australia would be followed by another four-match series in New Zealand from February 19.

“I have set realistic targets. The tours fall within the plan for the 2010 World Cup. The main idea is to make the players ready for playing in any adverse climate. The Aussies play fast and attacking hockey and I too prefer attacking hockey. So, my main goal in Australia is to win or draw the first match and instill confidence in players,” Harendra said.

India captain Sandeep Singh also echoed the coach’s feelings and said the team would be aiming to improve their shortcomings in the upcoming tours. (PTI)