Hockey World News Edition 21 Is now available for early release to all Patreon members.
Editors Foreword
With international hockey being scheduled, postponed, rescheduled and then postponed again, is it time for the FIH to bring an end to the 2019-2020 (yes 2019-20) pro-league season. For most nations involved, the Pro-League is a distraction ahead of a busy summer of European Championships and the Olympic Games. Having to shoehorn in Pro-League matches which, let’s face it, will be used just as a training match or a way to look at different players ahead of the Olympic selection, is a distraction that is certainly not welcomed. The Pro-League is no longer, nor was it ever, the shining beacon of international hockey and the ‘Best of the Best’ that the FIH promised just a few years ago.
At a time when the football world stood in unity and brought the proposed European Super League to a grinding halt, in a matter of days, due to its lack of ‘competition’. Some of the highest regarded managers around were quoting, “It is not sport if the relationship between the effort and reward doesn’t exist.” “It is not sport if it doesn’t matter if you lose”, yet in hockey, we are expected to champion the Pro-League, a structure that makes the top teams better and drives an even bigger divide to those outside of the Pro-League. A league that has no promotion or relegation, so it doesn’t matter if you lose. A league designed for the elite hockey nations only and a league with so many entry requirements, including a guarantee of packed stadia and TV broadcast deals, the Pro-League isn’t about sport but a business transaction for the fat cats at the top.
Edition 21 is packed
Covering all angles, edition 21 is definitely one that must be downloaded. We continue to talk about the Olympic Games and whether hockey should give back the rings and Captain our own ship. Ernst Baart talks to the FIH Presidential Candidate, Marc Coudron, about his plans for hockey ahead of the big election in May. Australia’s Simon Orchard sends a heartfelt message to Ashley Jackson as he steps down from international hockey and Harpreet Lamba talks to Devindar Walmiki about his Indian dream.
Enjoy edition 21, head to our socials to continue the conversation and have your say. As ever, thank you again for your continued support.
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