Hockey World Cup: 1975 WC Winner VJ Philips takes walk down memory lane

While
the
Indian
team
carries
out
their
preparations
to
end
the
medal
drought
in
the
prestigious
event,
it’s
time
for
the
hockey
fans
to
relive
the
memories
from
India’s
historic
World
Cup
campaigns
through
Hockey
India’s
Flashback
Series
–
World
Cup
Special.

Through
these
Series
of
articles
leading
up
to
the
marquee
event
in
Odisha,
we
will
bring
you
thoughts,
anecdotes
and
trivia
from
Indian
Hockey
Legends
who
ruled
the
world
with
their
wizardry
and
panache.

Winner
of
the
Silver
Medal
in
the
1973
World
Cup
held
in
Amsterdam
in
Netherlands,
and
the
Gold
Medal
in
the
1975
World
Cup
held
at
Kuala
Lumpur,
the
legendary
VJ
Philips
recalls
his
memories
from
the
years
gone
by.

In
the
1970s,
India
was
one
of
the
powerhouses
of
field
hockey,
and
one
of
the
mainstays
in
the
team
VJ
Philips
recalls
that
the
team
was
a
very
strong
unit
and
there
was
very
healthy
competition
for
places.

Philips,
who
scored
some
very
crucial
goals
in
the
1975
World
Cup,
including
a
brace
to
kick
start
the
campaign
with
a
win
against
England,
recalled
studying
opposition
teams
with
great
focus
and
working
as
close-knit
group
to
achieve
their
goal.

“Before
and
after
our
match,
the
Coaches
and
Captain
would
discuss
with
the
players
about
the
mistakes
and
how
to
rectify
it.
The
Coaches
would
go
watch
the
games
of
our
opponents
and
make
note
of
their
weaknesses.
And
even
our
substitutes
on
the
bench,
would
tell
us
about
our
mistakes,”
he
said.

Speaking
further
about
the
victorious
campaign,
Philips,
who
won
Bronze
in
the
1972
Munich
Olympics,
said
one
of
the
highlights
from
the
yesteryears
was
playing
a
world-class
Pakistan
team,
especially
since
both
sides
knew
each
other
quite
well.

“Playing
against
Pakistan
was
a
very
good
experience.
All
of
them
were
world-class
players.
We
had
a
very
good
forward
line
with
players
like
Harcharan
Singh,
Ashok
Kumar
BP
Govinda
and
myself.
They
had
also
analysed
our
game,
but
we
knew
we
would
have
run
a
lot
and
we
had
built
that
stamina
and
that
helped
us
majorly
in
winning
against
them.
It
was
not
easy
to
beat
Pakistan.”

Ask
the
former
attacker
which
out
of
three
World
Cups
was
his
favourite,
pat
comes
the
reply,
“1975.
We
had
a
very
good
side.”

Terming
the
1975
World
Cup
win
in
Kuala
Lumpur
as
a
milestone
moment
for
Indian
hockey,
Philips
further
added,
“In
1973
also
we
had
an
excellent
team.
And
the
German
Coach
at
that
time
said,
give
me
this
Indian
team
and
I
will
win
all
the
trophies
possible.
It
was
one
of
our
fittest
sides.”

Philips
comes
from
a
family
of
hockey
players
as
both
his
brothers
wore
the
India
colours
and
won
some
of
the
biggest
prizes
in
the
game.
“We
have
all
the
medals
in
our
house,
Olympics,
Asian
Games,
World
Cup
and
Commonwealth
Games.
We
have
contributed
for
the
country
and
we
are
very
happy
that
we
could
do
that.”

Philips,
who
was
considered
as
one
of
the
best
outside
right
players,
recalled
the
campaign
of
1975
and
noted
that
the
game
against
Argentina
will
always
be
close
to
him.

“That
is
a
very
good
memory
for
me.
We
were
playing
a
team
we
should
have
won
against
easily
and
we
didn’t.
I’ll
tell
you
why
it
is
memorable,
losing
that
game
had
an
effect
on
our
spirits
as
it
went
up
before
the
next
game.
Whatever
mistakes
we
had
committed
we
rectified
it
against
West
Germany,
and
we
also
got
some
timely
encouragement.”

While
the
match
against
Argentina
was
in
the
group
stages,
Philips
recalled
another
incident
before
the
Final
and
touched
upon
the
camaraderie
in
the
team.

“Another
incident,
before
we
went
to
play
against
Pakistan,
the
Manager
at
the
Hotel
Hilton,
asked
me
what
would
be
the
result,
and
I
gave
a
thumbs
up
to
say
we
will
win
for
sure.
But
he
returned
a
thumbs
down
gesture
and
he
said
no
we
would
not
win.
After
we
won,
he
threw
us
a
party
and
said,
India
has
proven
that
they’re
one
of
the
best
teams
in
the
world.”

“We
were
like
a
family,
the
whole
squad,
we
would
go
to
a
temple,
a
Masjid,
a
Gurudwara
and
pray
to
help
us
win,
because
we
had
only
one
thing
in
our
minds.
We
have
to
win
the
World
Cup,
nothing
else
and
we
were
fully
concentrated
on
the
task
on
hand.”

“Indian
Men’s
Hockey
Team
can
inspire
juniors
watching
the
FIH
Odisha
Hockey
Men’s
World
Cup
2023
Bhubaneswar-Rourkela”

A
veteran
of
three
World
Cup
tournaments
and
a
Bronze
winning
Olympic
Games,
Philips
wants
the
Indian
Men’s
Hockey
Team
to
give
their
all
when
they
step
out
in
the
national
colours.

“There
are
140
crore
people
watching
you
play
and
praying
for
you.
The
focus
should
be
only
on
the
game
and
the
players
should
put
in
all
their
effort.
All
the
players
should
be
thinking
on
the
same
lines
during
the
tournament
and
working
hard.
Everyone
should
remember
they’re
playing
for
India.”

“Once
you
win
the
World
Cup,
it’s
a
great
feeling,
the
moon
feels
nearer.
Once
you
win
the
match,
then
you
know
what
is
what.
I
feel
the
team
will
do
well
and
they
should
definitely
aim
for
the
podium.
All
the
hockey
players
from
the
Indian
fraternity
are
waiting
and
watching.
We
all
want
the
team
to
do
very
well,”
he
expressed.

“Once
they
win,
there
is
nothing
like
that,
they
have
to
play
very
well
and
concentrate
on
the
game.
The
players
should
listen
to
the
coaches
and
play
as
a
team.”

An
Arjuna
Awardee
in
2000,
and
a
winner
of
two
Silver
medals
at
the
Asian
Games,
Philips
said
the
presence
of
the
home
support
in
the
Indian
Men’s
Hockey
Team’s
corner
will
give
them
a
boost
in
energy.

“We
will
be
playing
on
home
soil
in
the
FIH
Odisha
Hockey
Men’s
World
Cup
2023
Bhubaneswar-Rourkela
and
around
50,000
people
will
come
to
encourage
you,
and
that
will
give
you
additional
energy
to
play
well.”

“Every
match
is
important
and
there
are
junior
players
who
are
watching
too,
they
will
see
the
current
players
and
they
will
get
inspired
by
watching
the
Indian
Men’s
Hockey
Team,”
he
signed
off.

Source:
Hockey
India