New Delhi: Former captain Pargat Singh, who is a member of the five-man panel entrusted with the responsibility of finding a foreign coach for the national hockey team is apprehensive about whether the job can be accomplished in the next two weeks.
During Tuesday’s coaching and development committee meeting of Hockey India (HI) to review the team`s shoddy performance at last month`s Azlan Shah Meet, the association decided to form a five-member panel that also includes former players Jagbir Singh, Balbir Singh, SS Grewal and AB Subbiah, to scout for a foreign expert within 15 days.
But Pargat, who is also the chairman of HI`s coaching and development panel criticised the national body for waking up so late and said the scenario could have been different if they had paid heed to his suggestions.
"Till date, my proposals tabled in December last year haven`t been implemented. There is total chaos in the whole system. I still don`t know whether we will get a foreign coach or an advisor. Time is too short but I will try my level best," the former captain told reporters here on Wednesday."While searching for a candidate, we also have to keep in mind that a coach should suit to our system and have a good understanding of our system," Pargat added.
The need for a foreign coach has emerged yet again in Indian hockey after the national team finished a lowly sixth out of seven teams in last month`s Azlan Shah Cup in Ipoh, Malaysia.
But with almost all the best coaches of the world already engaged, it will be a herculean task for Pargat and Co to find a suitable candidate who can guide India in the London Olympic qualifiers, which is less than a year away.
Asked if they have any thoughts of bringing back Spaniard Jose Brasa, whose contract expired after the Asian Games, Pargat said, "It is still not in our minds. Under him the team has performed well and consistently. But if situation demands we will discuss his name."He also rued the absence of a coaching structure in the country and said with the present set up it will be difficult for the eight-time champions to qualify for the London Olympics.
"There is no coaching mechanism in our country. With this set up I don`t think we will ever qualify for Olympics. It will be very challenging but with minor changes we can qualify," Pargat insisted.
PTI
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.