Five players to watch at the Hockey World Cup

 

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By JiMMM, 27 Feb 2010 JiMMM is a Roar Rookie

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 Eddie Ockenden, hockey, hockey world cup, Moritz Furste, Richard Mantell, Sohail Abbas

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Apart from the obvious names of Jamie Dwyer (3), Tuen De Noojer (3) and Pol Amat (1), who have claimed all of the World Player of the Year awards since 2003, these are the players to watch out for at the Hockey World Cup.

Eddie Ockenden
The 23 year old Tasmanian striker/midfielder can already be considered an experienced international with 96 appearances to his name. However, he hasn’t yet appeared in a World Cup match. His ability to ghost between the attack and the midfield not only creates headaches for the defence, it will also create more space for Jamie Dwyer to work within. And he also provides another excellent attacking option for the Australians.

Richard Mantell
The English will live or die on the performances of their 28 year old defender. If he can keep their defense organised and stop the opposition from scoring, the English attack is usually worth two goals a game. His penalty corner strikes will also prove crucial if the English are to perform in the tournament.

Moritz Furste
Often has his ability overlooked in favor of the more fancied Christian Zeller, however the midfield general’s ability to control the game will give the Germans an advantage. He is, in my opinion, the best player who is yet to have won the World Player of the Year award.

Sohail Abbas
Considered by many to be the best penalty corner striker in the world, his ability to score from the top of the circle will be key if Pakistan is to improve on its imposing record of four World Cup Trophys. With 21 World Cup appearances and 16 goals (making him one of the most experienced players at the tournament), his ability to improve on his record will be determined by his team’s strength in the midfield.

The Indian crowd
By far the most important factor in the tournament, if the crowd can be loud and imposing, I don’t think there will be many teams able to handle the pressure created in the environment. To say the crowd will be important to the Indians would be a massive understatement.

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