Sjoerd Marijne Eyes FIH Women's Hockey World Cup 2026 Breakthrough, Says Indian Women's Team Is On the Right Track

Mumbai: The man behind taking the Indian women's hockey team mighty close to winning an Olympic medal in 2021 at the Tokyo Games is now focused on the FIH Hockey Women's World Cup next month in Belgium and Netherlands.

Indian women's hockey team head coach Sjoerd Marijne believes the squad is on the right track ahead of next month's FIH Hockey Women's World Cup, with fitness, tactical discipline and improved finishing forming the core of the team's preparations.

In an exclusive interview with The Free Press Journal ahead of the event, Marijne said the players have responded well to an intense training programme and are steadily building towards the World Cup.

"The players are doing really well and working extremely hard. We are currently focusing on fitness in what has been a very demanding camp. After this, we will travel to Germany, where the emphasis will shift towards tactics, match play and practice games. By then, we want to be fully prepared for the World Cup," Marijne said.

Reflecting on India's Nations Cup triumph, the Dutch coach said the tournament provided valuable confidence, particularly because of the team's defensive solidity during the knockout stages.

"I was especially pleased with our performance in the final. We created chances, but what impressed me most was our defending. Even when we were down to one player, we conceded very little and allowed only one or two real opportunities from penalty corners. That was a very encouraging sign," he said.

Marijne praised drag-flicker Deepika, who enjoyed an outstanding tournament, but stressed that India's success was built on collective effort rather than individual brilliance.

"Deepika did very well, but Navneet also scored important penalty-corner goals. It is never about one player. Hockey is a team game and different players contribute in different situations. I am happy with the way we won the tournament," he said.

Despite lifting the title, the coach believes India still have room for improvement, particularly in converting chances from open play.

"We created plenty of opportunities but did not convert enough of them into field goals. That is one area we are working on because at the World Cup we will mostly face higher-ranked teams, and opportunities will be far fewer," he explained.

India have been drawn alongside England, China and South Africa in the pool stage, but Marijne insisted his team's primary focus remains on its own performance rather than analysing opponents.

"We are concentrating on ourselves and on playing our best hockey. The teams we will face are among the world's top sides, so everything will happen faster. Their passing will be quicker and they will apply greater pressure. We have to match that intensity," he said.

Comparing the current squad with the side that finished fourth at the Tokyo Olympics, Marijne said the present group has a different identity, built around a promising blend of youth and experience.

"It is not about one team being better than the other. This squad has more young players with enormous talent, alongside experienced seniors. Young players naturally go through ups and downs, and our job is to help them become more consistent. That is part of the process," he said.

Asked about India's tactical approach, Marijne rejected the idea that the team would rely on a single style of play.

"Hockey is about balance. You have to be good with the ball and without it. It is not only about possession, pressing or counter-attacking. It is always a combination of different aspects of the game," he said.

Penalty corners remain a decisive factor in international hockey, and Marijne was encouraged by India's recent progress in both attacking and defending set-pieces.

"Our penalty-corner conversion and defensive penalty corners were very good during the Nations Cup. Of course, that does not guarantee the same results every time, but if we can maintain those standards it will be a big advantage," he said.

The coach also underlined the importance of mental preparation ahead of a tournament where players will compete under intense pressure.

"At a World Cup there will be full stadiums and huge expectations. The players have to block out those distractions and focus only on playing hockey. We deliberately make training sessions mentally demanding so that the pressure of a match does not feel overwhelming," he explained.

Looking ahead, Marijne said success against the world's leading teams would depend on making the most of limited opportunities while remaining disciplined in defence.

"Against lower-ranked teams you may create 10 chances, but against the best sides you might get only two or three. You have to convert those opportunities and defend extremely well. That is the biggest difference," he said.

While avoiding specific medal predictions, Marijne made it clear that India's immediate objective is to progress from the group stage.

"We will take it one match at a time. Our first goal is to finish in the top two in our pool. From there, we will keep moving forward and see how far we can go," he signed off.