"Craig Fulton is open and friendly" - Tanguy Cosyns stresses on importance of fitting into local culture ahead of Hockey India League [Exclusive]
From the dizzying highs of an unexpected silver medal in Rio 2016 to the pain of not being picked for the Tokyo Games, Tanguy Cosyns has seen it all. Ahead of the Hockey India League, the former Belgian stalwart has relived his remarkable career with the Red Lions while also disclosing his plans to take up coaching.
On the subject of coaches, Cosyns drew a parallel between the Red Lion's Kiwi coach Shane McLeod and Craig Fulton, stressing that an understanding of local culture was an essential prerequisite for success in the role.
During the course of an exclusive interaction with Sportskeeda, the Belgian turned the clock back on the Rio Games, recalling how his team seemed down and out against India in the quarterfinals before going on to finish on the podium.
Tanguy Cosyns asserted that Shane McLeod, who was instrumental in propeling Belgium's meteoric rise in the world of hockey, succeeded as he was a "good fit" with regard to understanding Belgian culture.
Drawing a parallel with India's current coach Craig Fulton, who was part of the Belgian camp in the past, the veteran forward explained that the South African stands out for being open and friendly.
"I think Shane is someone who fits the Belgian culture. I think it's really important. You see also in India, a lot of foreign coaches came. And you see some coaches didn't succeed with the Indian team. I think it's also the same for Belgium. We had to find someone who could fit our culture," Tanguy Cosyns explained.
"And I think it was a good match between Shane McLeod and the Belgian culture. Like now you have Craig Fulton, who was with us for a bit, in the staff of the Belgian team in the past. Now I think it's a good fit for Craig Fulton to be the coach of India because he's really open and friendly," Cosyns reasoned.
Tanguy Cosyns was candid enough to admit that Belgium's silver-medal-winning performance in Rio was a "surprise" with a new coach at the helm ahead of the big event.
"I think it was really a surprise for us to be finally in the top four because if you know the whole story, we had fired a coach in January. So we had six months to find a new coach and go to the Olympics. And in those six months, it went really, really quickly with Shane McLeod, who took over the team," Cosyns revealed.
The striker also recalled that beating India in the quarterfinals (3-1) was quite an achievement, with the eight-time Olympic champions leading until half-time.
"But the quarterfinal against India was a turning point for us. I think we didn't play really well, with India leading 1-0 at halftime. It was a fact that we could have lost to India in the quarterfinal. But we did win finally and when we defeated the Netherlands in the semifinal, we made sure we would have a medal around our neck," the Brussels-born player stated.
"It was really enjoyable to be there. And it's really one of my best memories, for sure, of my career," he added, recollecting the time when Belgium won sliver after losing 2-4 to Argentina in the final.
Learning how to counter-attack under the tutelage of McLeod helped the Belgians in no small measure, according to Tanguy Cosyns.
"In the past, we were not really good with the counter-attacks. And I think we worked a lot to be one of the best counter-attacking teams. I think we managed to play our style as well because we play a zonal tactic," he declared.
Following a comeback from injury a year later, Cosyns was not picked for the 2018 World Cup and the 2021 Olympics where the Belgians soared to the summit of world hockey, winning gold in both events.
Not being selected for the big tournaments marked a sour point in his relationship with Shane McLeod but Coysns admitted philosophically that it helped him grow as a person and "reboot".
"I was not there, not selected. Shane was the coach at the time. So it was really disappointing because the relationship between him and me became difficult. Because, for me, it was difficult to accept the fact that I was not selected," Cosyns stated.
"But in the end, I followed those two tournaments closely and I think the team did a really good job. When I look back, I also grew up as a man because as a sportsman and as a professional, you need also to reboot yourself and find other ways to be back in the team," he disclosed.
Cosyns did make it to the 2023 FIH Men's World Cup in India and is happy that the Belgians ended up in the second spot, losing to Germany in a nerve-wracking shootout in the final.
"In the end, it was a long, long journey for me because I could play the last World Cup in India with the team. We lost in the final against Germany but in the end it was a lot of learning for me," Tanguy Cosyns declared.
"Aiming to adapt to the Indian style of play in the Hockey India League" - Tanguy Cosyns
Tanguy Cosyns will team up with the redoubtable and equally experienced Lalit Upadhyay in the forward line of the UP Rudras side, which also boasts of the firepower of Alvaro Iglesias.
Combining with the best forwards in world hockey and playing the Indian way is uppermost on Cosyn's mind ahead of the Hockey India League.
"I think, for me, it's a challenge to combine with those players and to bring my added value to the team. I think we have a team that is really balanced with some of the best Indian players in the lineup. To be at least in the playoffs or play the final is the objective," Tanguy Cosyns said.
"We need to see how it goes in the beginning and really talk a lot to bring out our best. I am aiming also to adapt to the Indian style of play" the 33-year-old stalwart affirmed.
Even as an ageing Belgian side were knocked out of the Paris Olympics in the quarterfinal stage, Cosyns believes that the Tokyo gold medalists are going through a difficult phase.
"It's a difficult period because a lot of players have stopped playing internationally but I think you could see, there was a game, Belgium against the Netherlands and I think they drew 1-1 (in the Pro League), so I think it's a good result for the team," he expressed.
"The biggest challenge for a coach now is to bring new players with fresh talent at the right moment so they can really grow in a good period. That's the most difficult part because you need to have the results and you have also the process of team building," Tanguy Cosyns opined.
The Belgians have made a rousing start to their Pro League campaign with a couple of wins against Germany and two draws against the Netherlands.
Tanguy Cosyns, who is now mentoring the Belgian colts, is hopeful of more coaching jobs in the future.
"I just finished my degree to be a coach so I hope in the future I can coach in Belgium or elsewhere but it's a goal I have. I'm currently coaching the under-18s of Belgium. So for me, it's an objective to be active as a coach and to continue playing hockey with my club," Tanguy Cosyns observed.
The sixth season of the now-revamped men's edition of the Hockey India League kicks off on December 28 in Rourkela.