One of hockey’s greatest drag-flickers, Dutch legend Taeke Taekema believes India has all the ingredients to become a world-beating penalty corner unit. In an exclusive interview with News Arena India, Hockey India’s drag-flick coach speaks about his transition into coaching, India’s drag-flicking potential and why patience and repetition are the keys to success.

Few names command as much respect in world hockey as Taekema. Renowned for his thunderous drag-flicks during an illustrious career with the Netherlands, the Dutch legend is now entrusted with sharpening one of India’s biggest strengths after being appointed Hockey India’s drag-flick coach.

Having already begun working closely with the women’s team, Taekema believes India possesses the talent to become one of the world’s most dangerous penalty corner units, provided the players continue to master the finer details of the craft.

Reflecting on his transition from player to coach, Taekema admitted that coaching demands a completely different mindset.

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“As a player, you only worry about yourself. As a coach, you need to understand every individual because every player learns differently. Some respond to demonstrations, others to verbal instructions, while some need time to reflect. Adapting to every player is challenging but also what makes coaching enjoyable.”

Explaining why drag-flicking remains one of hockey’s biggest match-winning weapons, Taekema stressed that penalty corners have always decided close contests. “In major tournaments, the best teams are usually the ones that combine quality hockey with an effective penalty corner attack and defence. Open-play chances are often limited, so penalty corners become the difference. A quality drag-flick also forces defenders to change their running patterns, creating opportunities for innovative variations.”

The former Dutch star was particularly encouraged by India’s impressive penalty corner conversion during the recent Nations Cup. “The conversion rate showed the quality of the entire unit. A successful penalty corner is never about one player. It starts with the injector, followed by a perfect stop, accurate drag-flick and intelligent movement for rebounds and deflections. Everyone has a role.”

Despite the encouraging signs, Taekema insists there is always room for improvement. “Our aim is to make every injection faster and more accurate, every trap precise and every execution consistent. There is no limit to how much you can improve.”

He also urged players to maintain realistic expectations. “Even the world’s best drag-flickers will miss more penalty corners than they score. If you convert one in every three or four corners during a tournament, that is already an outstanding return. What matters is converting the important ones.”

With the Commonwealth Games and World Cup on the horizon, Taekema believes India’s focus should remain on patient, structured development. “The talent is already there. Now it’s about putting in the hours without overloading the body because drag-flicking is physically demanding. You can’t practice hundreds of drag-flicks every day without risking injury. It’s about finding the right balance. The team is on the right track, as the Nations Cup proved, but our work is never over.”

A passionate football follower as well, Taekema tipped France and Argentina to reach the FIFA World Cup final with France emerging as his favourites, while adding that England, despite their depth, often struggle to fulfil their enormous potential.

By Joe Williams