MUMBAI, December 10: Dutch penalty-corner legend, Floris-Jan Bovelander is likely to hit town next February.

But defenders and goalkeepers needn't fear. Hockey's deadliest assassin will be on a peace mission, imparting the nuances of his lethal trade to friendly Indian counterparts in Mumbai.

Plans of Bovelander's visit were revealed today by Deepak Khanolkar, Director of ACOSA, a Mumbai-based sports consultant firm organising and executing the 31-year-old Dutchman's visit.

ACOSA have been in touch for several months with Bovelander and Bovelander, a company run by the Dutch supremo that runs coaching camps in several European nations.

Khanolkar said: ``Bovelander and Bovelander are eager to make an impact in Asia and have made India their first venture.''

``Floris is keen on running camps twice a year starting with a planned opening in February in Mumbai or Pune when he would coach youngsters from both cities.''

Bovelander is also likely to assist the Indian side sharpen their corner drills in their lead up to the World Cup in Utercht, the Netherlands next May.

Khanolkar said that Pargat Singh expressed interest in utilising Bovelander's expertise when the Indian National coach was in Mumbai recently on a private visit.

Indo-Dutch hockey coaching ventures are nothing new to ACOSA. The firm had organised two previous clinics -- in 1994 (Carl van Staak) and 1995 (Tom van't Hek).

Khanolkar said: ``We plan further ventures with Bovelander in conjunction with a leading Indian player -- perhaps Dhanraj Pillay -- to run clinics in other parts of Asia.'' ``Van Staak was a goalkeeper, Van't Hek a striker so we thought that this time around we bring in a penalty-corner striker,'' Khanolkar added.

Not just any corners striker, though. Bovelander's feats have been legendary, surpassing even those of his predecessor Paul Litjens.

An ability to flick powerfully into the roof of the net as well as reposition in a trice to execute a blinder, Bovelander virtually single-handedly propelled the Dutch to the Olympic gold medal at Atlanta in 1996 and the World Cup title in Lahore in 1990.

But the powerfully built Dutchman was no passenger in the field. His precise free-hits led to many of the 12 field goals (out of 24) that the Netherlands scored in the 1994 Sydney World Cup where they finished with the silver.Bovelander retired after the Atlanta Olympics to concentrate on studying Molecular Biochemistry in the United States.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.