 Wishing on their lucky leaders
(China Daily)
Updated: 2008-08-23 10:32
World Cup champions Germany and Spain go into today's Olympic men's field hockey final hoping the coaches can put their previous gold medal experience to good use. Spain's Dutch coach Maurits Hendriks was with the Netherlands when it won the title at the 2000 Sydney Games, while German Markus Weise masterminded the women's team's triumph in Athens four years ago. Their wisdom will count as Germany contests its first final since winning the gold medal at Barcelona in 1992 and Spain bid for its first Olympic title after losing the deciders in 1980 and 1996. "It will be about strategy and how we put that into practice," said Spanish veteran Pol Amat. "I hope Maurits brings us luck. After all, he knows what it takes to win a gold." Hendriks, however, stressed the final was not about coaches, but the players. "This is for the boys. I am just going to sit and watch," the flamboyant coach said. "The team has done a lot themselves to get this far. They are just a delight to watch." Spain, widely regarded as the best men's team not to have won the Olympic gold, will be wary of the Germans after losing to them 1-0 in the preliminary competition. "We played badly that day and did not deserve to win," said Hendricks. "Germany will be tough, but this is a new day, a new game. We will go in as equals." Weise, who took over the German men three years ago after head coach Bernhard Peters switched to football, remained wary of Spain despite his team's unbeaten record in the competition. "All the good work of the past will be of no use if we do not deliver when it counts the most," Weise said. "But the team is confident of finishing the job." Germany, which conceded the world No 1 ranking to Australia after failing to win the Champions Trophy in June, has won four of its six matches so far and drawn the other two. The European rivals made it to the gold medal clash by reversing the semi-final results at Athens four years ago when Spain lost to Australia and Germany was beaten by the Dutch. On Thursday, Spain fought back after being two goals down to upset defending champion Australia 3-2 in a thrilling semi-final, ace striker Santi Freixa scoring the winner two minutes before the final whistle. Germany beat the Netherlands 4-3 in the penalty shootout after the European heavyweights were locked 1-1 at the end of extratime. "We have worked hard for three years to achieve this result and now we are close to realizing our dream," said Spain's Amat. "There is a lot to play for in the final." Meanwhile, Australia will clash with the Netherlands for the bronze medal before the final. "We need to re-visit our strengths and remind the players of those strengths that made us No 1," said Aussie coach Barry Dancer, who is due to leave the Kookaburras after the Olympics. Agencies (China Daily 08/23/2008 page23) |
