"India need to pull up their socks, have bright chance of podium finish"- Hockey Olympian Joaquim Carvalho on team's Paris 2024 campaign [Exclusive]
The Indian men's hockey team have a bright chance of making it to the podium after being pitted against Great Britain in the quarterfinals of the Paris 2024 Olympics according to former hockey Olympian Joaquim Carvalho.
A "different approach to defense" as compared to India's pool games is what the team needs in the knockout stage in Paris feels Carvalho who was part of a formidable Indian team at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.
During an exclusive interaction with Sportskeeda, the 64-year-old hockey great stressed that the Indians will need to pull up their socks after playing a level of hockey that was just about good enough to advance past the pool stages.
"India's chances of making it to the podium are now very bright as they are meeting Great Britain in the quarterfinals. But, India needs to convert as many chances as they get and keep a tight defence as they have been playing thus far. A different approach to defense than what was visible during the earlier games will be the key," Carvalho stated.
"The Indians have been playing hockey which has just been good enough for qualifying for the last-eight. Now they need to pull up their socks higher and tighter," said the former centre-half from Mumbai who is married to Indian athlete and Olympian Vandana Rao.
The Indians who beat Great Britain 3-1 in the quarterfinals of the 2021 Tokyo Olympics en route to a bronze medal have scored 10 goals thus far in five pool matches at Paris 2024 while conceding seven.
India went down 1-2 to defending champions Belgium but drew 1-1 against Argentina, while also registering a 2-0 victory over Ireland, 3-2 win over New Zealand and a historic 3-2 victory against mighty Australia.
The Indian men's team who last won an Olympic gold back at the 1980 Moscow Olympics are aiming for a second successive podium finish in Paris.
"Indian players were right on top in their last pool match" - Joaquim Carvalho lauds men's hockey team for win against Australia
Craig Fulton's team created history by managing to beat the Australians at an Olympic men's hockey competition for the first time since the 1972 Munich Olympics with goalkeeper Sreejesh playing a stellar role.
Joaquim Carvalho asserted that the atmosphere at the Olympics is very different from the Pro League and past results do not count.
The former coach of the Indian men's team lauded the Harmanpreet Singh-led side for dominating the Australians but was quick to add that the Kookaburras are still a force to reckon with and can never be written off.
"Australia has not declined, however, Indian players were right on top in their last pool match. That said, Australia can never be written off," he affirmed.
Carvalho was a member of the 1984 Indian men's hockey team that included renowned players such as Zafar Iqbal, Mohammed Shahid, and Maneypandemuttana Somaya among others.
Carvalho was on the scoresheet when the Indians went down 2-4 to an Australian team featuring the legendary Ric Charlesworth, current Aussie coach Colin Batch, and former India coaches Michael Nobbs and Terry Walsh.
The Indian men's hockey team who failed to reach the semifinals in 1984 had to wait 37 years before making it to the last-four stage in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics where Graham Reid's team went down to Belgium.
The Indians will attempt to make it to an Olympic semifinal when they take on Great Britain at 1330 IST on Sunday (August 4).