Savita Punia, Sjoerd Marijne at Idea Exchange: ‘­Coaches gave us freedom… it was our turn to give them a return gift’

While Sjoerd Marijne shepherded the women’s hockey team to defeat China at the Asian Games, Savita Punia was the rock in the goal, helping India maintain their 1-0 lead, ushering in the Asiad gold. The coach and the senior player of the gold-winning team were at the Express Idea Exchange, moderated by Assistant Editor Nitin Sharma

Nitin Sharma: Your first thoughts on winning the Asian Games title and qualifying for the LA Olympics.

Savita PUNIA: Definitely, there was pressure because qualifying for LA was important for us. At the Tokyo Olympics (2021), we had our best performance ever, and when we did not qualify for Paris, it was a setback. When Sjoerd sir joined, our only target was to qualify for the LA Olympics directly through the Asian Games. When the team’s spirit is good, we do not think about the pressure. Definitely, the final (against China) was a high-pressure situation but we followed the coaches’ plans for the match.

Sjoerd Marijne: It’s a great achievement. It was a long road to the Asian Games final. The Asian Games was the most important tournament this year. In the end, it was about one match against China in the final. We wanted to avoid the shootout because a lot of things can happen. We had played against them (China) in the World Cup and we already knew that we could beat them. In the final, it was about staying calm and making the opportunity count. I must say we defended really well.

Nitin Sharma: When you returned as the India coach in January, what were your first thoughts?

Sjoerd: I saw that team cohesiveness was missing. It was not a unit. There was a lack of discipline in a few areas. These things my staff and I brought back into the team. It helped that I knew the players, who were with me in the 2021 Olympics (Tokyo). They told the new girls how I am and got them to back my vision. Now, there is a lot of ownership in the team, something that was gone. I wanted to bring that back because we have a lot of knowledge inside the team and I wanted to use that. It is easier for juniors to come into the team. The seniors make the difference in the way they guide and the way they are focussed on the team goals.

Nitin Sharma: Savita, what was the team’s reaction to Sjoerd coming back for the role?

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Savita: It was our demand that we want Sjoerd sir. Hockey India asked us what we wanted because our performance was not up to mark in the last two years. When Hockey India president Dilip (Tirkey) sir and Bholanath (Singh) sir came to Bengaluru and asked whether we wanted a coaching change, we recommended Sjoerd and Wayne Lombard (strength and conditioning coach). So, as a team, we were definitely happy.

Nitin Sharma: How successful have you been in ensuring players dribble less?

Sjoerd: It’s about choosing the right moments to dribble. You show them clips when it’s a good choice and when it isn’t. And in that way, they learn by experience. Because I don’t want us to lose our dribbling skills. That is something typically Indian, and I want to keep the Indian culture in the team. But you have to know when to dribble.

On her equation with Bichu Devi | We are each other’s strength. I always have eye contact with her. Since her junior days, I had the trust that Bichu will be a good goalkeeper going forward for India

Nihal Koshie: Compared to the last decade, is the Indian team more receptive to ideas now?

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Sjoerd: They were always open. I also experienced that in 2017. It starts with the coach, the leader, the CEO… as long as you have a good vision and can involve the players in the process, they will embrace the vision. It must not be the vision of just one. I like players taking initiative and ownership… The reason why I like to work in India is because if they feel that this a good vision, they will embrace it and follow our instructions. They also hold their own meeting before which coaches have to leave the room. This does not happen with a lot of teams.

Nihal Koshie: What is discussed in the player-only meetings? Do you talk about the coach also?

Savita: Yes, we talk about the coach also. But we have the best staff. Ninety per cent of the players understand English but we try to motivate and boost the players. Young players are very good, seniors are cooperative. For example, it was my fourth Asian Games, so I shared my experience. Navneet (Kaur), Neha (Goyal) shared their experience. We talk about what strikers need from mid-field, what mid-fielders want from defenders, though we discuss everything with the coaches. Coaches give us so much freedom, it was our turn to give them a return gift (medal).

Nitin Sharma: Savita, as a senior player, can you share how tough it is for players to play under a foreign coach when Sjoerd joined initally?

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Savita: Not difficult. Because, we had worked with foreign coaches earlier also in 2012, from Australia, and after that Sjoerd came. When Sjoerd sir came, one good thing that happened was that whether you knew English or didn’t, the player had to open up with the coach about what is going on in her mind. If I am not able to understand English, I will raise my hand and say I didn’t understand. So what coach demanded in 2017 and now, has worked for the players. If you don’t have a demand, you are just satisfied but when coaches are demanding, it is a chance to improve. And that’s why we put the request again that we need this coaching staff.

On India’s game plan against China | When we have the ball, we don’t want to lose it in our half so they can counter-attack. They had a few opportunities but not really big ones. We were good on the line in the penalty corners

Rohit Mundayur: Sjoerd, what are your thoughts on the evolution of this team, defensively, since you took over.

Sjoerd: Defensively, it’s the basics of the way we play. You can always fall back on a good defence and from there you can build up your game. That’s what you saw in the Asian Games and the World Cup. China was very strong in the final (Asian Games). They had more ball possession. But if you see in the fourth quarter, the moment they really had to attack, even with an extra player, they only entered the circle twice. That means that the defensive structure is really good and for me, that is what will bring you titles. We want to build and become better in ball possession. We know that the Indian team will always create opportunities (to score). It can be just one or two, but we always get that penalty corner. You saw that against China. We got one opportunity and we scored. For the rest of the game, we defended really well. That is why unity is so important and everyone needs to know their task.

Amit Kamath: How did you manage to beat China this time around in the Asian Games final?

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Sjoerd: How we approached the China match was that we knew that they are a very strong opposition and that’s fine. I won’t share the whole game plan because very soon we’re playing China again (Pro League in November) and we want to win again. For us, one thing was important: being very calm on the defensive side. When we have the ball, we don’t want to lose the ball in our half so they can counter-attack. That was very important in the match. They had a few opportunities but not really big ones. We were good on the line in penalty corners. That was our game plan against China.

Pritish Raj: When China was awarded the penalty stroke, India took a referral and there was some time. What was going through your head?

Savita: A lot. Penalty stroke is always difficult for a goalkeeper. In the penalty shootout, there are eight seconds. When we asked for referral, I was reminding myself of a few things. Sjoerd trusts me and Bichu a lot, so that gives confidence. Taeke Taekema (penalty corner coach) has a database of players and we had seen that from day one. Pirmin Blaak (goalkeeping consultant) had trained us too. Usually, Bichu (Devi) and I would dive on the right side with stick and left side with leg, so at times angled shots on left side can go inside (the goal). Since Blaak came for the World Cup, we started diving to left with our gloves to save shots. Blaak asked Wayne Lombard to help us with practising those saves. Taekema also asked me to not take an early decision. So I didn’t want to move early and I was patient.

Shuvaditya Bose: If we talk about a year ago, you were conflicted about your future with the team. Can you tell us why that thought came to you?

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Savita: Two years ago, the team was not improving and I thought I would leave the sport. But in January, I talked to Sjoerd and Wayne Lombard. We decided that I couldn’t end my career like that. During the qualifiers, I wasn’t with the team due to personal reasons but then I decided that Asian Games was a must for us. I think it is important for me to go out on a good note.

Pritish Raj: Talk about the bond you have with Bichu Devi. First, she came as your understudy, then you started alternating between quarters.

Savita: Touchwood, I share a great bond with Bichu. We are each other’s strength. I have spoken of everyone’s contribution in that penalty stroke save but I always have eye contact with Bichu in such moments. Even when she is inside and I’m out, we keep that eye contact. Since her junior days, I had the trust that Bichu will be a good goalkeeper going forward for India. Being a senior goalkeeper, it is my responsibility to pass on my knowledge to her and give her that experience. She is very hardworking. I haven’t seen many players at that age being so sincere. Since Sjoerd has come, we have mostly been roommates and we share our experiences and thoughts with each other. I think we are setting a good example. We are competitors but only in training. When we are playing for India, we are one. She looks up to me as an elder sister and I treat her as my younger one.

Nitin Sharma : How do you see the road ahead if this women’s team has to win against the top three or four teams and if we have to get a medal in the LA Olympics?

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Sjoerd: I have that road clearly in front of me. We are playing the Pro League and we are playing against good countries. We will have a lot of learnings from that. To win at the Olympics, you need to be consistent and that’s one of the most important things. We have almost two years for the LA Olympics and the squad will also get more depth. So there will be more competition in the team. Players will face all different kinds of challenges because competition brings out the best in the top players. Also, on the physical aspects, we are focussing on how to create the best ever version of ourselves. It starts with each individual. What can you improve? Do you become faster and stronger? All those kinds of things.

Nitin Sharma: You have given the players tiger-eye crystals.

Sjoerd: I’m interested in the culture of India, and the Bengal tiger is, of course, a strong symbol… like Bharat ki sherniyaan. So that is something of a metaphor for us. A tiger can wait, can be patient, and wait for very long for its prey. They only need one shot. It’s exactly what happened against China but you don’t want to give too much away. Every time they look into the eye, it’s like… what is important for us is being calm, being aggressive, being patient, and striking at the right moments.

Nitin Sharma: What would you like the world to remember this team for?

Sjoerd: Resilience, discipline, will power, and a team who enjoys what they are doing. And the last one is one of the most important things, because what people forget is the joy we have together. The last eight-nine months were amazing… it was the extra topping (icing) on the cake, because that (joy) made it really nice and it gives extra value to this golden medal. It was a combination of fun and being serious at the right moment. And that balance, at this moment, it’s perfect together. Many people tell me that they see how much the girls are enjoying their time on the pitch. I think that’s something we want to be remembered for.

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Nitin Sharma: Savita, were you always interested in becoming a goalkeeper? Tell us about how you have evolved as a goalkeeper over the years?

Savita: I started playing in 2003 and I used to play as a defender. But my mother’s health was not good and I wanted to leave hockey. In 2005, my coach told my father that I had the height and they could play me as a goalkeeper. So the coach made the decision and my father got me the kit. Since my father bought such an expensive kit for me, it was always on my mind that I have to play for India one day.

Nitin Sharma: In 2011, there was an incident when a bus conductor made a remark about you. Tell us about that.

Savita: I credit my parents for this. Because of them, especially my father, my hockey journey continued. In 2011, a bus conductor told me that my hockey kit bag was too big and I had to buy another ticket. I told him that I didn’t have the money. I respected his decision but what hurt me was when I asked him to help me put the kit on the roof, he said, ‘Tum to ladki ho, ek awaaz maro dus ladke ayenge.’ (You are a girl, 10 boys will come to help if you call). I was angry and thought of quitting hockey. My father told me not to worry and got me a second-hand car. My family has been my backbone.