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After two successive titles (2009, 2013), Germany junior hockey team eyes for their third consecutive crown at the FIH Hockey Junior World Cup, to start in Lucknow from December 8.
In all, Germany carry a total of six World Cup trophies in their shelf.
“Yes, we have won the World Cup six times and we are here for a hat-trick. The World Cup happens once in four years and for many players it's a one-time opportunity to play the World Cup and win the World Cup. So it's not too difficult to motivate the team to do it again and this time they are chasing the goal of a hat-trick,” Germany's head coach Valentin Altenburg said on Sunday.
Altenburg also mentored Germany senior national squad that won bronze medal at the recent Rio Olympics. The 34-year-old German counts this World Cup as a stepping stone to spot players for the future senior squad.
“We already have a couple of Under-21 players who have played for the senior team and Timm Herzbruch played at the Olympics too. We see this as the stepping stone towards being on top of the world in hockey and Junior World Cup is the stage where you can see who can be your future,” Altenburg explained.
Altenburg added that India will pose biggest threat to them, utilising the best of home conditions. Earlier in Four Nations Tournament in Valencia last year, India had routed Germany to claim the title. Coincidentally, it was current India skipper Harjeet Sigh, under whose captaincy India won the crown in Spain.
“India is going to be a big favourite this World Cup and I know they have been working hard for more than two years,” he said.
Talking about India’s junior hockey team coach Harendra Singh and overall growth of Indian hockey, Altenburg said: “Harendra is doing a great job with the team spirit they have. And all the players are individually strong and almost everyone has played the Hockey India League which helps them a lot to understand the highest level of hockey as they have played with or against some of the finest players in the world. I think if any team wants to be World Champions then they have to beat India.”
Germany are placed along side Japan, New Zealand and Spain in Pool C and therefore won’t be playing India before the knockout stage.
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