When Siegfried Eijkman steps onto the training pitch in Dhaka, he brings with him decades of hockey expertise from across Asia. The veteran Dutch coach has just four months to prepare Bangladesh’s junior side for their first-ever Junior World Cup, and he is determined to make every day count.
Eijkman’s journey in Asian hockey began in 2017, but his first encounters with Bangladesh go back much further. As coach of Japan, Pakistan, and Oman, he faced Bangladeshi teams at several tournaments. “From 2009, when I joined Japan, I played against Bangladesh often,” he said. “I knew they had skillful players, but they lacked the preparation to compete with top sides.”
That preparation gap is precisely what he hopes to close. “This is the first time they’ve qualified for the Junior World Cup,” Eijkman noted. “It starts here, and now we must take them to the next level. That’s why I’m here.”
Bangladesh’s group at the Junior World Cup is a tough one, featuring some of the sport’s best teams: Australia, France, and Korea. Eijkman is realistic about the challenge ahead. “We are one of the weakest teams on paper,” he admitted. “But we can make it hard for our opponents. If we surprise them, it will be because we never give up.”
With just four months to prepare, Eijkman knows time is tight but refuses to use it as an excuse. “For a coach, it’s never enough time. India has a full year to prepare, but we work with what we have. Most of these boys train at BKSP, so they already have a base. Our job is to lift them from a local level to an international one.”
Eijkman sees plenty of potential in his players. “They’re fast, skillful, and motivated. They want to perform for their country, and that desire is a big strength,” he said. But fitness remains a concern. “They have strong bodies, but no power inside. Stamina is lacking. At the World Cup, you need to be able to sprint, recover, and sprint again at high intensity.”
Discipline is another key focus for Eijkman. “Bangladesh loves to attack, but if you don’t defend, you lose. Too often, they concede heavily in the fourth quarter, get frustrated, take cards, and the game is gone. From day one, I’ve told them: no excuses. It’s not the weather, not the umpire, it’s you. What you put in is what you get out.”
Eijkman insists that modern hockey is about more than just passion. “It’s science-based. We measure speed, recovery times, and when players start making mistakes. We build training around those demands. In a match, you might run 6km, but in short, explosive bursts. If you train for endurance, you slow players down. We focus on fast-twitch muscle work to match the high intensity of today’s game.”
One of the key changes Eijkman is introducing is two-touch hockey. “Opponents press Bangladesh because they take too many touches and panic under pressure. With two-touch play, you scan before receiving, play quickly, and escape the press. It’s a small change that makes a big difference.”
Eijkman’s impact is not limited to the junior squad. His sessions are open to coaches from across Bangladesh, with the aim of improving the broader hockey culture. “If they come, I’ll explain what we do and why. Then they can take it to grassroots and school programmes. That’s how you build a hockey culture that lasts. It’s not about keeping secrets, it’s about sharing knowledge so the whole system grows.”
With 40 players currently in camp, competition for places is intense. Eijkman plans to cut the squad to 28 before final selection. His criteria go beyond raw talent. “I’ll select players who help the team win, not just those who look good individually,” he explained. “A player who dribbles past three defenders but loses the ball and costs us a goal isn’t helping us win. Teamwork, decision-making, and discipline matter more.”
The players have five weeks to prove themselves before the first cut. “Slow starters have time, but by the end, we need those who can adapt quickly and execute what’s needed.”
Despite limited resources, Eijkman is pragmatic. “Of course I’d like more. In Japan, I had a $100,000 GPS system. I won’t get that here. But you work with what you have. Don’t get frustrated. Celebrate what’s available and make the best of it.”
Eijkman believes that change must start at the junior level. “If you want to improve, start with juniors. Seniors adapt slower; juniors are quicker to absorb new ideas. Bangladesh has a talented young group and a federation willing to invest. That’s a golden opportunity.”
Working with juniors also allows Eijkman to build a mindset that can serve the national team for years to come. “Don’t make the opponent too big in your mind. You have a chance if you work equally hard and prepare equally well.”
Success at the World Cup, however, won’t be measured by medals. “Will we win it? No. Semi-finals? Probably not. But we can play good hockey and make it hard for others to beat us. That’s our target.”
Eijkman wants his team to fight until the final whistle. “Like in the 2018 Asian Games with Japan, we were 5-2 down at half-time against Malaysia. We equalised at 6-6 and won. We never gave up. That’s the spirit I want here.”
Eijkman’s work in Bangladesh is about more than just the upcoming tournament. “If we can create awareness among coaches and players, we can sustain progress. We show them what ‘good’ looks like, build confidence, and teach when to take risks and when not to. That understanding will serve them for years.”
For now, the focus remains on making every training session count. “These boys want to learn. They ask questions. They die on the pitch but enjoy it. The signs are positive. Where it takes us, only God knows. But I’ll give everything and I expect the same from them.”