'7 Jr hockey World Cup bronze-winning girls anaemic'

Even as the euphoria over India’s bronze medal win in the junior women’s hockey World Cup is yet to die down, former senior men's team chief coach Michael Nobbs has claimed that seven of the players were anaemic.

Nobbs said the achievement of the girls is all the more praiseworthy considering that they had iron deficiency in the body which leads to tiredness and lethargy.

"It's very common among girls and in India it is acute. How do you expect the girls to match the healthier and stronger European girls in a world competition? Considering this, the bronze has been a brilliant achievement. It's nice to give cash awards, but there is a lot to do with these kids," said Nobbs.

Nobbs congratulated the junior girls for winning India's first World Cup medal but cautioned against a general "burn out" due to a lack of scientific plans.

"I have two growing daughters and they are part of an Australian system that not only takes care about their skills but their health as well. India have to adopt such an approach or else these girls from rural India would be lost forever," he said.

"I was surprised to meet a dietitian in SAI, Bangalore, who has been working for the last 40 years without having done anything noteworthy," he was quoted as saying by sports.ndtv.com.

The 59-year-old Australian, who made an unceremonious exit as chief coach of the senior men's team, said India has the potential to make it big in world hockey with a scientific approach and careful talent spotting.

"I surely don't want to work for Hockey India again but India have the potential to match any country in the world. It's oozing with talent and there is no dearth in resources. I have seen this with my own eyes and there is a lot of work to be done," he said.