National men’s hockey midfielder Ivan Ludiali says he is ready to lead from the front as Kenyans seek to rule the African Cup of Nations planned for October 11-18 in Egypt.
“After this weekend, the team will be cut down, and I want to perform and prove a point as one of the experienced players,” he said.
The team’s last competitive action was at the African Games in March last year in Accra, Ghana, where they finished fourth after losing 2-1 to Nigeria in the bronze medal match.
The Western Jaguars captain had a six-month stint with Netherlands Division Four side, Delta Venlo, early this year. Jaguars, the defending Kenya Hockey Premier League champions, are currently third on the log with 18 points from nine matches, trailing leaders USIU (22 points) and second-placed Butali (21 points).
He said the four-day-a-week training sessions have emphasised physical fitness, tactical awareness and technical ability under coach Mike Malungu.
“My focus area is mainly physical fitness, but I’m working on all aspects because as a midfielder, I am evolving and want to be more versatile,” he added.
“I intend to lean more on defensive mechanisms while also diversifying on attack in midfield.”
Having helped Delta Venlo earn promotion in a highly competitive league, the midfielder is keen to help Western Jaguars rise above the norm.
“There’s a difference in level because the Netherlands is big on hockey and even at the Reserve Hoofdklasse level, where I featured, the intensity is high,” he explained. He said he wants to bring that level of competition to his home country.
With the integration of Under-21 players into the squad, the Netherlands-based midfielder says their recent exposure, especially at the Hockey5s tournament in Namibia and earlier 11-a-side matches, has made them valuable additions.
“The inclusion of the Under-21s is a learning curve. They are relatively young, and it’s upon us to blend well and work as one,” he noted. He also welcomed the Kenya Hockey Union’s youth development initiative, which is said to be shifting the country’s talent discovery model from schools to early engagement.
