With the Asian Games 2026 campaign just two days away, Indian women’s hockey chief coach Sjoerd Marijne has urged his players to draw confidence from their historic FIH World Cup campaign but leave the achievement behind as they chase a second Asian Games gold medal.
India finished fifth at the FIH World Cup 2026, their best-ever finish in the tournament in 52 years, before shifting their attention to the Asian Games in Japan. The team is now targeting a historic gold medal that would end a 44-year wait for the title, with India’s only previous triumph coming in 1982. The gold would also secure direct qualification for the LA 2028 Olympics.
Speaking after the team settled into its training routine in Japan, Marijne said the immediate priority was adapting to the conditions, building intensity and ensuring the players were fully focused on the tournament ahead.
The coach said the squad had deliberately taken time to celebrate and reflect on its World Cup performance before turning the page.
“We did something remarkable and historical, but we have to move on to the next tournament,” Marijne said, explaining that the players were encouraged to revisit their favourite World Cup memories before beginning preparations for the Asian Games.
A video prepared by the team’s analyst featuring goals and memorable moments from the World Cup ended with the message ‘Road to Asian Games’, marking the start of a new campaign.
Marijne stressed that past success offered confidence but no guarantee of future results.
“Success is not guaranteed. You have to fight for it again and give even more,” he said.
Focus on Preparation and Player Management:
The Indian team has also been working on balancing training intensity with recovery after a demanding World Cup campaign.
Marijne credited Dr Wayne Lombard and his physical conditioning team for managing the players’ workload through monitoring sleep, freshness and recovery, while determining the appropriate intensity for training sessions.
The coach said the experience gained by the 11 World Cup debutants in the squad would be valuable as India look to build on their recent progress.
Exposure to different playing cultures and styles has helped the younger players develop, he said, while emphasising that the team cannot afford to become complacent.
“I want more and more because if we stand still and think like we are there, that’s the first stage when you stop improving,” Marijne said.
Team Before Individual Milestones:
The Asian Games could also see goalkeeper and captain Savita become the most-capped Indian woman player when she features in her second match of the tournament.
However, Marijne said individual milestones would not distract the squad from its collective objective.
He described Savita as a highly professional player who remains focused on the team’s interests, adding that the rest of the squad is motivated to work harder for its captain.
The emphasis, he said, remains firmly on celebrating achievements as a team.
Confidence From World Cup Campaign:
India’s defensive organisation was one of the key positives from the World Cup, with the team holding higher-ranked opponents to draws before producing a notable 3-1 victory over Germany.
Marijne said those performances had strengthened the players’ belief in their methods but cautioned that maintaining that level would require continued effort.
“The basics need to be good. The running, the intensity, all these small things,” he said.
Rather than focusing extensively on individual opponents, Marijne said India would concentrate on executing its own game plan.
“I hardly use the word China or Japan or Korea or any other country during our team talks. We are really busy with ourselves,” he said, adding that the priority was to perform their own tasks effectively.
‘Chak De’ Tag Does Not Change the Focus:
Marijne has increasingly been associated with the popular ‘Chak De’ coach tag in India, but the Dutchman said his priority remains the relationships he has built with the players, coaching staff, Hockey India and the Sports Authority of India.
He said he feels appreciated in India and enjoys hearing references to Chak De India, with the players themselves occasionally joining in on the joke.
For now, however, the focus is firmly on the Asian Games.
With history and Olympic qualification at stake, Marijne’s message to his players is clear: the World Cup has provided belief, but a new challenge demands a fresh effort.
(Image credit: FIH)
