Former India goalkeeper Mir Ranjan Negi has come out in support of the Mumbai University hockey team, who recently approached a political party to sort out their selection issues before the start of the ongoing West Zone Inter-University tournament
Former India goalkeeper Mir Ranjan Negi has come out in support of the Mumbai University hockey team, who recently approached a political party to sort out their selection issues before the start of the ongoing West Zone Inter-University tournament.
Members from a political party stormed the Khalsa College Ground in Matunga on Wednesday, during the tournament, claiming that five players from outside Mumbai were being forced into the team, and ensured at least three of them were replaced with local players. Yesterday, the Mumbai lads opened their campaign in the inter-varsity tourney with a thumping 20-0 win over Aurangabad and Negi feels the margin of victory vindicates the players' stand.
"The boys were absolutely in what they did (approaching a political party). Some people were trying to push undeserving players, who moved to a city college only this year with the ulterior motive of playing for Mumbai University. The boys being powerless against the team authorities used an alternate route to seek justice. And today's win shows that they have picked the right boys in the team," said Negi, who claimed that such instances of undeserving players being forced into teams, is not new.
"I was captain of the Combined Universities team in 1979 and I can tell you that there have always been instances of undeserving players making it to the team ufffd be it junior national / university / State ufffd due to their high profile connections. I tried fighting it back then and our boys too are right in fighting it today. I'm proud of what the Mumbai boys have done as it is completely in the interest of the game," he added.
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