Hockey selectors seek new coach

There have been 12 coaches for the national side in as many years since KPS Gill took over in 1994. And after a poor sixth place in the Commonwealth Games, it seems that the present coach Rajinder Singh will become the thirteenth coach to be sacked.

Hockey selectors have had enough. Some of them have apparently threatened to quit unless Rajinder is sacked.

Current Vice President of the Indian Hockey Federation, Narinder Batra is using this latest flop show by the team to get even with the man he hates the most, KPS Gill.

"It's not Rajinder or any other coach who should be sacked, but those who've given them that post, that is Gill and Jothikumaran. These so-called selectors only put their stamp of approval to their decisions. They never select a team in a free and fair fashion. That is why Aslam Sher Khan also quit his post last year. I have yet to see a fair selection," said Batra.

Shameful results

India's results in hockey under Rajinder have been shocking. The Azlan Shah Cup was his first assignment, where India finished in fifth place.

A few months later in the eight-nation Rabo Trophy, also called the Mini World Cup, India barely avoided the wooden spoon.

Then came the season-ending Champions Trophy in Chennai, which saw India finishing last and missing out on a place for this year's edition.

India then lost the first three matches at home in the home-and-away series against Pakistan, going on to lose 3-1 overall.

And finally the biggest debacle was a poor sixth place at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games with the team winning just two matches out of five.

"I have never understood how and where Rajinder Jr came from, or what his credentials are. The President and the Secretary choose the coach. There is no panel, no interviews," said Aslam Sher Khan, former national selector.

But the problem seems to be not so much with the coaches or the players, but in the autocratic way the Indian Hockey Federation runs the game.

The next two big events of the year in hockey are September's World Cup in Germany and the all-important Asian Games, where a place in the 2008 Beijing Olympics will be at stake for the team.

Courtesy www.ndtv.com