People don’t always know the real story: Sjoerd Marijne on vacation before the Ice Hockey World Cup

Indian hockey team coach Sjoerd Marijne has commented on the controversy surrounding his exit ahead of the World Cup, saying that not everyone knows the whole story. Marijne was in the spotlight as reports suggested the Dutch tactician was not present in person at the pre-tournament training camps.

Many criticized the move from Marijne and Hockey India, p PR Sreejesh attacks against the federation. In an interview with PTI, Marijne reiterated that there was nothing stopping him from preparing for the tournament, he held meetings and was also in touch with the players.

“I saw every practice, match, meetings and had personal contact with the players, so it wasn’t like I didn’t know what was going on,” Marijne told PTI in an interview after India’s World Cup campaign.

“People don’t always know the real story and that’s fine as long as we know what we did and discussed everything. Also the staff who were there helping them prepare for the World Cup,” he said.

Despite Marijna’s absence from the preparations, his team silenced the noise to secure fifth place at the World Cup, their best finish since 1974.

Marijne said he expects more from the team and hopes they can build on the result.

“It’s been a journey with many ups and downs and we have to keep going, but that’s only possible if we stay hungry and eager to get the best out of ourselves and don’t take things lightly.”

“Constantly raise the bar and expect more and more from the team. Growth is a daily process as well as staying connected to each other,” said Marijne.

‘HOPE WE CAN INSPIRE YOUNG KIDS TO PLAY HOCKEY’

Marijne believes that his time away from the Indian setup has helped him grow, both professionally and personally. He feels that working closely with other coaches and being mentored by them over the past few years has given him a new perspective on his own methods.

“I have been to India, I know better how things work and what works in coaching the Indian team. I have been guiding the coaches for the last few years and that has also helped me reflect on myself and become a better coach,” he said.

India’s performance at the World Cup has also generated rousing support from fans at home. Marijne hopes the growing attention surrounding the team will encourage more young people to take up the sport, especially women’s hockey.

“If I see the reactions, people are positive and watching the team. I hope we inspire young kids to start playing hockey as well,” he said.

Next on the agenda for Marijne and the Indian team will be the 2026 Asian Games in Japan next month.

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Published on:

28 Aug 2026 20:17 IST