Goalkeeper coach Romeo James is in a state of shock. He will never again train a goalkeeper by hitting golf balls at high velocity using the club.
Indian goalkeeper Baljit Singh’s right eye was badly damaged during a golf-ball session on Friday evening. Doctors at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences have reason to believe that Baljit may not regain vision in his injured eye.
James, who was practicing with Singh with the golf ball, said the accident to the goalkeeper has left him deeply upset. James doesn’t think he’ll ever pick up a golf club again.
“I won’t ever touch a golf ball in my life. We have practiced this technique of using a golf ball over the past two years. The ball never even hit a helmet of a goalkeeper. I never take a shot on the goalkeepers’ body. I hit the ball to the left-hand or the right-corner corner of goal. The fact that a ball hit by me hurt him has shattered me,” James said.
However, the incident will spell the end of the golf-ball routine. “We will stop the practice of using a golf ball as this unfortunate incident has raised concern about the player’s safety.
We will have to find some other alternative like a ball-shooting machine,” James added.
The coach rubbished allegations that the players were practicing in poor light. “The natural light was good enough and even the flood lights were on,” James said. Baljit forgot to carry the ‘special helmet’ to Pune. This camp was supposed to be held in Bhopal but was then shifted to Pune.
James backs Baljit to make a successful comeback if his vision is restored. “If the doctors are successful in saving his eye I am sure he will make a comeback. He is a strong guy and I am sure he will recover,” he added.
