Bhubaneswar: The top-ranked Netherlands men’s hockey team touched down in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, on Sunday, gearing up for a crucial series of matches in the FIH Hockey Pro League 2023/24 scheduled to unfold in India.
The prestigious FIH Hockey Pro League 2023/24 (men) is set to kick off at the iconic Kalinga Hockey Stadium in Bhubaneswar from February 10 to 16. Following the initial leg, the action will shift to the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela, continuing from February 19 to 25.
The India leg of the FIH Hockey Pro League 2023/24 (men) will witness the participation of five formidable national teams – Ireland, The Netherlands, India, Spain, and Australia. These teams will face each other twice, once in Bhubaneswar and once in Rourkela.
The Netherlands, currently holding the World No.1 position, is set to kick off their campaign on February 10 against Ireland. A highly-anticipated clash against hosts India follows on the next day, with subsequent matches against Spain on February 13 and Australia on February 16, all in Bhubaneswar, before moving to Rourkela.
Expressing their excitement and readiness, Netherlands’ captain Thierry Brinkman stated, “The preparations have been going really well. We have done a great job in training sessions. The guys have done a good job. We love to be in India, and there is a good team spirit among all of us. We are excited for the campaign to begin.”
When asked about potential tough opponents, Brinkman acknowledged the challenge posed by Australia and the unique experience of facing India in front of their passionate home crowd in the expansive stadiums of Bhubaneswar and Rourkela.
“With the Paris Olympics 2024 coming up, this is an important tour for us to test ourselves against strong teams. We hope to have a good tournament,” Brinkman concluded, emphasizing the significance of the tour as a preparation phase for the upcoming Olympic Games.
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