Hockey India has a 'firangi' call to make

Indian hockey yet again finds itself in a limbo over appointment of a National coach. While the ouster of Brasa was very much on the cards, his assistant Harendra contributed to the mess by first resigning hastily and then offering to take up the job with a set of pre-conditions. Knowing our hockey bosses, they do not like to be dictated and Harendra could well say good bye to coaching the Indian team.

Having known Harendra for well over a decade and observed him at close quarters when he was with various Indian teams, I would say that he is a committed chap, but tends to get too emotional under pressure, like he did in Guangzhou last month.

Over the years, he has been an understudy to various coaches, including Baskaran and now Brasa, although he did handle the junior team, back in 2005. Most of the juniors then are in the current team and hence his claims that he knows the players ''inside out'' cannot be disputed.

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The point is that Indian hockey has always been pulled in different directions by diverse forces and there has never been unanimity among the decision-makers on the issue of appointing a National coach, be it a foreigner or ''local''. Too many minds working on different wavelengths besides the absence of strong and enlightened leadership have all contributed to the present mess where the team is without a coach.

Hockey India, on its part, is not helping matters by dilly-dallying, forgetting the fact that the London Olympics is less than two years away. Time is fast running out for Indian hockey that needs to have a coach in place before preparations could begin.

The bronze medal finish at the Asian Games meant that India again have to go through the rigors of qualifying process. Mercifully, India will be hosting the qualifying tournament in early 2012 and the home advantage could well outweigh all other factors.

But then, there is still a lot that needs to be done even before we get to the qualities and it is imperative that the authorities get on with appointing a coach who can then prepare a plan and action it without too much loss of time.

Skipper Rajpal Singh has gone on record recommending a foreign coach, preferably an Australian. However, regardless of the nationality, rest assured that the coach would insist on authority to go with the responsibility, something that our hockey bosses would be reluctant to concede. Brasa sought sweeping powers, especially concerning team selection, but was snubbed.

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Brasa also made pointed remarks about the system governing the game in India and also the kind of ''shabby'' treatment meted out to him, including delayed payments. Before him, Charlesworth, currently coaching the all-conquering Australian team, was treated like a pariah and eventually, the legendary player left for home after suffering great humiliation.

The other day, former India captain and triple Olympian, MM Somaya said he preferred a coach of any nationality who is well versed in modern hockey and has man management skills. He went on to say that the focus should be on providing world-class training to our juniors besides an improvement in governance.

I totally agree with Somaya as I have always advocated a foreign coach for juniors who are malleable enough to be moulded unlike the seniors who are beyond change as regards playing style and technique are concerned. The coach can then “grow” with the juniors as they progress to the senior level and by which time, the two would have bonded well.

Thus, Hockey India has a tough call to make, but something they need to quickly. In the coaching ring is also Olympian Jude Felix who last week again offered to take up the assignment provided the authorities duly compensate him and also given him four-year tenure.

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Jude has some coaching experience as he trained the Singapore team for a number of years and also runs an academy in his hometown Bangalore. He has also passed a FIH coaching course and thus, has the credentials, but I am not sure whether his demands would be met though they are quite reasonable.

Whatever, it is to be hoped that Hockey India acts swiftly rather than waste more time in appointing a coach so that the preparations for the 2012 Olympics commence. To delay is to slice time and that is something Indian hockey can ill-afford to.