Shane McLeod and Arthur de Sloover are two men for whom life is looking rosy right now.
Both picked up awards as the FIH Coach of the Year and Rising Star of the Year respectively, while their team, Belgium, eased to the top of the World Rankings after winning the Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2018.
After a break from FIH Pro League action while the Belgium domestic league was in full swing, the Red Lions returned to action against Great Britain. This had all the makings of a tough encounter as the Great Britain side had been flying high in the league, and the Belgium team would be rusty after a break, wouldn’t they?
The 4-0 win over Great Britain suggested otherwise. Belgium were dominant from the first whistle and, despite every effort by the Great Britain side, they could not unlock the Belgium defence or keep the rampant attack at bay.
De Sloover said the long break from Pro League action had actually been beneficial for the team: “The break was welcome for everyone, after the four months of World Cup, plus the preparation and travels we had for the Pro League.
“Everyone returned to their clubs to play the second part of the National League. We restarted the training a few days before going to London, and you could clearly see everyone was happy to see each other again and to play together at international level. The advantage of the break is that we all had some time to recover both physically and mentally, and now we are ready for the next six weeks of intensive Pro League games.”
There is an intensity to the Pro League which means that every match is played as a final. This is a different scenario to tournament hockey. McLeod sees the benefits of both formats: “It is very close at the top of the table. After each game there seems to be a jump in positions which makes it a really interesting competition to follow. For the moment we are at number one but there are still many games to come.
“As for the players, they are enjoying the format. It is a real test to get a slightly new group of players together for each game but playing games in front of big crowds lends itself to top matches.
“Tournaments are still the easiest format to grow the team. This is due to lots of games with the same group of players. Each game is an opportunity to get better. In that way, tournaments are good for the team, Pro League is good for the squad.”
To that end, McLeod reveals that, for him, one of the biggest challenges is treading the fine line between selecting a side that is “both developmental as well as having the ability to win matches.”
De Sloover is one of the rising stars of the Belgium team and he is certainly revelling in the challenges the FIH Pro League is throwing at him.
“The most positive point about the Pro League is that we have lots of home games in front of our fans. It’s always nice to play those games, especially when family and friends are close to you. Another thing I like about the competition, is that it’s played over a long period of time. So the team that has been most consistent throughout that period deserves to be in the top four. For me the only ’negative’ point is that it is a lot of traveling for the amount of games we play.”
And, as de Sloover explains, the next few weeks will really prove a test for the Red Lion’s fitness and ability to perform consistently. “From 30 May until 30 June, we play 10 games in total if we count the Grand Finals in Amsterdam. That means we play a game every three days on average. For us it will be important to be as fit as possible, to avoid injuries and fatigue. That’s why we are training really hard now, so that we are ready for the big loading we will have in June. I think it will also be important to rotate with all the players from the squad, so that every player has a bit of rest at some point. “
While his players prepare for the physical challenges of the FIH Pro League, McLeod is looking further ahead: “Our biggest challenge is getting ready for the Europeans whilst still competing in the Pro League. Luckily, the Pro League gives everyone enough game time to win their position for the Pro League finals, then onto the Euro’s in Antwerp.”
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