Janneke Schopman resigns as the coach of Indian Women’s Hockey Team

Her international debut came in 2001, and she quickly became a mainstay in the Dutch squad. The pinnacle arrived at the 2004 Athens Olympics, where she scored a crucial penalty in the semi-finals, ultimately securing a silver medal. While gold eluded them, her contribution to the team’s success was undeniable.

SCHOPMAN NURTURED YOUNG TALENTS AND PROMOTED A MORE EXCITING WAY OF PLAYING

After the Tokyo Olympics, Indian Women’s Hockey Team coach Sjoerd Marijne declined a contract extension, leading to Schopman being appointed for the role.

In her three year tenure, Schopman nurtured young players like Lalremsiami Hmarzote and Sharmila Devi, thus helping create a stronger squad with depth. She introduced new strategies, favoring attacking formations and focusing on individual player development. This led to victories like the 2022 FIH Nations Cup and podium finishes at the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games.

Schopman emphasized speed and a proactive approach, pushing the team to play with greater confidence and intensity. This resulted in some hard-fought wins and a rise in international rankings.

However, despite her technical innovations, the team often faltered in crucial matches, failing to qualify for the 2024 Olympics and losing in the quarterfinals at the 2023 World Cup. This inconsistency raised questions about her long-term vision.

Her resignation was hardly unexpected, especially following the double failures while attempting to qualify for the Paris Olympics. India first failed to secure Olympic qualification at the Asian Games, and then, even more heartbreakingly, failed to qualify at the FIH Qualifiers despite home support. That this string of failure came after India reached a historic fourth position at the Tokyo Olympics did not help.

Under Schopman, India played 74 matches, and won 38 of them. They drew and lost 17 and 19 matches, respectively.