Remembering Balbir Singh Sr, who died on Monday at the age of 96, 1975 World Cup India hockey team Ajit Pal Singh spoke about the influence Balbir Singh had on the team as manager.
It will be difficult to follow the impact of the three-time Olympic gold medal victory by Balbir Singh Senior on the hockey legend against Indian hockey. Sometimes he did, even without raising a hockey stick. Balbir Singh was the director of the Indian hockey team that beat Pakistan 2-1 in an exciting competition to win the first World Cup in 1975. India's only success at the world championship remains to this day. Recalling the legend of hockey, who died on Monday at the age of 96, Indian hockey captain Ajit Pal Singh spoke of Balbir Singh's influence on the team.
In an exclusive telephone interview with the Hindustan Times, Ajit Pal expressed his condolences for the disappearance of Balbir Singh and described him as an ideal man.
"It is really sad news that we lost an excellent Indian hockey column. Balbir Singh was a great player, a great coach and a great coach. We were lucky because he was with us during the Cup from the world of 1975 and that he managed to win. He was perfect in all aspects of life: a balanced man. "
In addition, he spoke of the dynamics he shared with the manager at the 1975 World Cup in Malaysia. "In 1975, our team got the perfect match, with everything in the right place. When the team (manager, players, coach, captain) clicks, it can only succeed. Winning the 1975 World Cup was a team effort. "
"My relationship with Balbir was very friendly, off the pitch and on the pitch. He was an older player and was a father figure. We admire him for his advice." It was a perfect mix. "
In the league, India suffered a terrible 2-1 loss in the group stage match against a weak Argentine team. The defeat forced India to beat West Germany in its next game to advance to the semifinals. Ajit Pal recalls how Balbir Singh motivated the whole team to break the fast.
"The Argentinian team was not good. They had a casual coincidence and they scored. We tried to get many chances, but we couldn't find a draw. It was disappointing for the players. The team was disappointed and frustrated. "
The next morning, Albert Ji called us for a meeting. He said at the meeting, "Look, guys, whatever happened yesterday, forget it. Now, today and tomorrow, we have these two days to prepare for Germany. Today, we have to focus, we need to eat well, relax well, and chat. Ajith Pal said, "You can, God willing. Losing in Argentina doesn't mean you can't beat Germany. "
India comfortably beat West Germany 3-1 to book a ticket to the semi-finals, while Malaysia beat 3-2 to reach the final match against Pakistan. "Being a great hockey player, his essence was how to motivate and discover the need of the hour, what are the kids talking about?" Ajit Pal said: "He was a very bright man, because he was a great player himself."
The former Indian hockey superstar recovered from the last game against Pakistan, which was a very tense relationship. Pakistan got off to a good start, scoring an early goal. India rebounded strongly in the second period, then defeated its rivals 2-1 to lift the cup.
"The team was great and (Balbir Singh) seated at the side of the field, we were really motivated. Ajit Pal said:" I was very lucky because I am the team leader and we won the cup. "
Balbir Singh Ji wanted the team to move forward together. It was a truly unforgettable experience in 1975, and we were very successful. We celebrated the World Cup victory across India, and it was a great time for hockey. "
Article Source: hindustantimes.com
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