Interview | We are on the right track, we just need to keep our navigation bar very clear on where we want to go: Massimo Costantini

Massimo Costantini, the head coach of the Indian National team, is a patient man, explaining the nuances of shots to the players during their matches at the WTT Star Contender Chennai recently.

Never the one to raise his voice to the players, the Italian almost always makes his point clear in a soft manner.

In his third stint with the Indian team, Costantini is clear in what he wants to achieve: provide the Indian team with a great environment.

With the World Cup in Macao (China) from April 14 to 20 and the World championships (individuals) in Doha from May 17 to 25, the 66-year-old former paddler has his work cut out.

He spoke to The Hindu about the Indian team’s performance in the recently concluded WTT Star Contender Chennai, Sharath Kamal’s retirement and the need to have more National camps for women. Excerpts:

What are your plans for your third stint as India head coach?

We have to prepare for the World Cup and the World Championships. The Worlds is an individual event, so it will be good for each and everyone.

For me, every tournament is a test at least. It’s like an engine. If something is not working well, you need to adjust the brakes, change the tyres. It’s a continual adjustment. And that’s the job that I’m doing.

What do India’s chances look like in the World Championships?

We have good potential in the men’s doubles with Manav Thakkar and Manush Shah, but again it depends on the draw. If the pair has a good world ranking (it is currently ranked World No. 10), I think it can reach the quarterfinals. In mixed doubles, we have to prepare better. Manush and Diya Chitale are the highest-ranked Indians in the world standings at No. 13. Let’s hope for the best.

In the women’s section at the WTT Star Contender Chennai, none of the Indian players could reach the last eight. What do you make of that?

We are working to see how to put together a good team in the National camp because, recently, Sreeja Akula and Manika Batra had other tournaments, competing in the WTT Champions in China. They are off to Korea now.

We have the World Cup in Macao in April. We need to get them together and start thinking along the lines that we are stronger when together than when we are apart. The situation needs to be corrected at least: to be together more.

I’m planning to have more training camps because that is the key (space) where we can work all day and build certain abilities and a certain level of confidence. So that’s what we need. This is not just for Manika Batra and Sreeja Akula, but for all other players to strengthen the National team environment.

How do you assess the performance of the Indian players in general in the Star Contender Chennai?

Overall, good. Manav Thakkar reached the semifinals, which is excellent. He will soon enter the top 50 in the world. Snehit (Suravajjula) is doing very well. To reach the quarterfinals is a great achievement for him, and that makes a total of five Indian players in the top 100.

We prepared quite well especially with the men, but with women, preparation was a little bit less. We had a training camp in Bengaluru and a training camp in Sweden prior to the WTT Star Contender Chennai event. The performances our players have managed make Indian table tennis stronger and inspire more confidence. We are going in the right direction and are on the right track. We just need to keep our navigation bar very clear about where we want to go.

There were quite a few young teenage girls who played in this tournament, making it to the main draw of the event in Chennai. One of them even took a game off World No. 10. Shin Yubin in the first round and her name is Divyanshi Bhowmick. Kavya Bhatt, who qualified for the main draw and entered the second round, beat a higher ranked player from Hong Kong, Wong Hoi Tung.

First of all, they don’t surprise me. Because I know what they are capable of. We had training camps and competitions through which they have enhanced their skills. Plus, they are doing well in their own places with their own coaches. They are young.

I mean, who else should be more motivated than them when they are in a certain environment like this where all the lights are on them! You want to perform well. They know that. And this is a good attitude. So I’m very happy. And I think it’s just the beginning.

Sharath Kamal has played an integral part in the rise of Indian table tennis. He has been with you in all your three stints. Tell us a bit about your relationship with him.

In all my three stints with the National team, Sharath has been there and has been essential all through. Sharath and I sat down to reminisce recently.

Life with the national side is very special and made of many things – arguments, celebrations, working on small details. Sharath was there through it all with humility and an open ear.

He’s a guy who is ready to learn, he has an unbelievably generous soul and will do whatever he can do to help others, to help the national team. It’s remarkable. We will miss him so much.

What do you attribute Sharath’s longevity to?

It’s similar to my career. I was in the Italian National team for a quarter of a century. What drives you is the will to do well for your country before doing well for yourself. Sharath epitomised this very typing all these years. I remember the gold medal by the men’s doubles pair of Sharath and Subhajit Saha in the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games. Sharath has always been ready to grab opportunities and this is the perfect attitude. Ready to win, ready to give and ready to help. That is Sharath.

Sharath said he might embark on a new journey as a High-Performance Director. What do you think he needs to do to be successful?

He has unlimited skills. He needs to sit there and feel what the coach feels. How to suffer with the player, how to get the chemistry, how to get the connection. He knows life from the perspective of a player, but he doesn’t know how it is from this side.

Things are completely different. You should not get emotional. You should know how to stay neutral. That said, he also needs to be extremely involved.

I think if he chooses the job of High- Performance Director of the Indian National team, he will be extremely helpful.