Indian hockey team's chief coach Terry Walsh feels that a top-eight finish in the FIH World Cup is a "realistic goal" and any improvement beyond that will be a "bonus" for the team
"Our first target is to set realistic goals for the World Cup and it is to be in the top-eight. Going further from there will definitely be a bonus. The team is looking forward to convert the chances and score. We are giving great emphasis on our defence as that will be the core to win the matches," Walsh told reporters here today.
A series of injuries might be plaguing India's month-long preparatory camp for the World Cup but Walsh exuded confidence that his boys will be fit by the time the championship starts.
"There are always injuries in a team. It impacts the preparation but you know someone will always be injured during the training. You just have to hope that it is not a significant one. Time is a factor and sometimes it can be 10 days and sometimes it is 10 weeks," Walsh told reporters.
"We are still 11 weeks away and it is a considerable amount of time and they have made good progress in the first few days and if it goes as well as it has gone in last few days, I will be really pleased."
India begun its preparation for the 13th edition of the World Cup to be held from May 31 to June 15 at The Hague, Netherlands with a month-long preparatory camp from March 9th at the Major Dhyan Chand stadium here.
Giving an update on the injured players, Walsh said: "Mandeep's (Singh) last MRI was on March 5th. He will take another four weeks. (Gurvinder Singh) Chandi is significantly better. He looks able to start running next week and may be it will take him another six weeks.
"(SV) Sunil fell on his shoulder and we don't think it is serious. There is some spasm. Danish (Mujtaba) is fit from an injury point but far from his best.
"Harbir (Singh) has a groin injury. He is pain free now. In two to four weeks, he will be able to start training. He is dying to train," he said.
