Consider Sathiyan, Ayhika as part of Paris Olympics team, says national TT head coach Costantini

Massimo Costantini’s return for a third stint as the India head coach augurs well for the national table tennis team. It was without a permanent head coach for five years but got the veteran Italian on board just in time for its maiden stint in team events at the Olympic Games.

Costantini, however, is setting his plans in place not just for Paris, but to ensure India joins the three big Asian superpowers in the world of table tennis.

“My goal is to make India next to China, Japan, Korea. My model is to learn from their system to manage the team in a very, very successful way,” Costantini told Sportstar from New Delhi on Thursday. “I will discuss my ideas and plans internally with the TTFI and with the players.”

Over the last few years, players’ personal coaches have had a bigger say in planning their itineraries. Costantini agreed that it will be a new scenario for him to strike the balance. “Some of the players have personal coaches. This is a new concept in the panorama, so it will be different from the previous stints,” Costantini said. “It’s too early to say something and we have the Olympic Games around the corner where India will compete in team events for the very first time. It’s a huge achievement, so let’s see.”

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The Olympic squad selection has stirred up a controversy with G. Sathiyan and Ayhika Mukherjee’s omission from the squad leading to discontent. Costantini, however, is confident that the duo will be rigorously involved in the lead-up to Paris being reserve players.

“We will have a training camp in the beginning of June, so being alternate players, they are with us. I have to prepare them like I prepare the other players because until the day of the start of the event, anything can happen,” Costantini said.

“I will prepare all the players in the same way, so we would consider Sathiyan and Ayhika as a part of the team and I hope they will contribute actively. Because they also know that it doesn’t end with the Olympics. We will have many opportunities thereafter. I am already thinking about 2028.”