With Asiad round the corner, Asian Champions Trophy hockey scheduling raises eyebrows | Hockey News

Ever since they have landed in Chennai for the Asian Champions Trophy (ACT), visiting teams have had few issues to complain about. Being treated as state guests, they have been all praise for the hospitality offered. They have been exploring the city, stepping out to malls and the beach, enjoying the local cuisine and taking rides on auto rickshaws.However, the timing of the Asian Champions Trophy which begins on Thursday and runs till August 12, may prompt a few raised eyebrows. The tournament has come at a critical juncture for most of the teams, affecting their preparations for the Hangzhou Asian Games that begin about five weeks after the conclusion of this event. Although a competition featuring the best teams in the continent should come as an ideal preparation of sorts, giving sides enough opportunities to analyse each of their opponents.The ACT, announced in April this year, was a last-minute inclusion in the calendar. With an eye on the Asian Games, where the gold medall gets a direct entry to the Olympics next year, most teams were looking for exposure trips and camps before they have been made to feature in the tournament.

Vanakkam Chennai 🙏🏻We are ready to conquer hearts and bring glory to the nation in the Hero Asian Champions Trophy Chennai 2023.#HockeyIndia #IndiaKaGame #HACT2023 pic.twitter.com/iPhbLiQ5fK
— Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) August 1, 2023
Malaysia, for instance, had already finalised their trip to Europe where they were scheduled to play friendlies against Belgium, France, Spain and the Netherlands. Instead, Arul Anthoni Selvaraj is not happy with this 11th-hour pit-stop in Chennai.
“We as coaches need 18-24 months to plan and the Asian Games was supposed to be in 2022, but then it got postponed. To organise a tournament 4-5 weeks before a major event – an Olympic qualifying event – I am curious to know the reason behind it. I am sure some of us know why. In the future, I hope Asian Hockey and FIH work closely to organise better because our programme has been interrupted. We were supposed to travel to Belgium and have friendly matches against Belgium, Holland, France and Spain. Everything was in place. It’s difficult to get those matches again. This tournament has come smack in the middle. In the future, I hope Asian Hockey looks into this seriously to help the Asian teams,” he said on Tuesday.
Although Selvaraj didn’t take any names as to who this tournament benefits and only questioned the timing of it, Korea’s head coach Seok Kyo Shin was scathing.

Just two days to go till the Hero Asian Champions Trophy gets underway from Chennai!
Korea are the reigning champions while Japan, India, Pakan, Malaysia and China will compete to try to take away the crown from them.
📲 – Watch all the games LIVE on https://t.co/71D0pOq2OG pic.twitter.com/kGjTbwMSX9
— International Hockey Federation (@FIH_Hockey) August 1, 2023
“I don’t like this tournament because next month we have an important tournament in the Asian Games,” he said. The defending champions, who made it to the quarterfinals of the World Cup earlier this year and was the highest-finishing Asian team, have been one of the most improved teams in the continent and will no doubt be a challenge for India at Hangzhou.
To make it worse for Korea, their first three matches are all scheduled at 4 pm, and their coach didn’t mince words.
“Weather is hard. We are playing all our first three matches at 4 pm and I ask why only Korea has this schedule? I don’t like that. Only India is playing at 8.30 pm with cooler conditions. I don’t understand that. Is it because India is the host? Mixed timings for everyone would have been better. Seven matches in 10 days are possible, not a problem, but the problem is it’s so close to the Asian Games. If anyone gets injured here, they cannot play in the Asian Games,” Shin said.
Hosts up for it
While Japan too echoed similar sentiments later, India were not complaining. Although they landed in Chennai only on early Tuesday morning after competing in a Four-Nations tournament involving Spain, England and the Netherlands, the Asian Champions Trophy allows them to understand their opponents better. Although India have been faring decently against higher-ranked teams, especially Europeans sides, they have struggled against Asian opponents, letting complacency set in.
“We need the games, it is important we play,” India’s coach Craig Fulton said later on Tuesday. “There are positives and negatives. I understand the issue about timings, but we need the games. The main focus is on us. We have a slightly different group, two new players joining. We have the rest of the guys that came from Spain who would be training alongside the team that plays in the tournament… all our staff and everyone is here. So, we are using this as a training and preparation phase for the Asian Games,” Fulton said.

Touched down in Chennai 😍
Brace yourself for the ultimate hockey showdown as our Indian Men’s Hockey Team has arrived for the Hero Asian Champions Trophy Chennai 2023.#HockeyIndia #IndiaKaGame #HACT2023 pic.twitter.com/ynKIbQ6szi
— Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) August 1, 2023
While India are not overly worried about fatigue, they will use the next two weeks to fully analyse each of their opponents. While the team led Harmanpreet Singh has been on the way up, often matching the Europeans in intensity, against Asian teams they have had a habit of letting their guard down. In the past, players have admitted not being fully charged up against Asian teams, which has reflected on the field. It is the reason why they have roped in mental conditioning coach Paddy Upton, who was part of the backroom staff during the Indian cricket team’s victorious 2011 World Cup campaign, till the Asian Games.
“The main reason why we brought Paddy is because he brings a lot of experience when it comes to working in India and the success he has had with the cricket team. He knows the culture, the diversity and what sort of performance is required. At the same time, he brings leadership that we are looking to instil and to help deal with the expectation and the big moments. Sports is all about the decisions you take at key moments. We will be faced with those going forward and so it is more about being aware of it, focusing on it and practising it. Paddy is instigating that,” the South African said.