Turner said Australia, Belgium, Netherlands are strong contenders but don’t take India lightly
Former Australia hockey player Glenn Turner feels his country, defending champions Belgium and the Netherlands are strong contenders to win the upcoming men’s hockey World Cup but warned against taking Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist India lightly in his own home. Australia, Belgium, Netherlands, hosts India, Argentina, Germany, New Zealand, England, France, Korea, Malaysia, Spain, South Africa, Japan, Chile and Wales are the 16 teams competing in the tournament which is jointly hosted in Bhubaneswar and Rourkela. From 13 to 29 January.
Turner, a two-time Olympian, said, “I think Australia has a big chance. He recently won a gold medal in the Commonwealth Games. They are a class team. I know how they train and they train to win. Their core and fundamentals are very good and I think that is what sets them apart. Turner, who was a member of the Australian team that won two consecutive World Cups in 2010 and 2014, said, “I think Belgium are also contenders because they are in very good form. It’s hard to beat them at the moment. And I think Netherlands should also be at the top and if they play to their potential it will be really cool.Turner said, “India will play at home. I would love to see them perform well.
