Chandigarh: Former India captain Pargat Singh hailed the appointment of Australian Olympian Michael Jack Nobbs as the new coach of the Indian hockey team and said he will establish a coaching mechanism in the country that was earlier lacking.
"Nobbs has got a five year contract. He will establish a coaching mechanism and coaches from around the country will be part and parcel of the set up. We will have a system in place, under which best coaches will be picked up for the national teams and likewise other coaches will go to the state and club teams," Pargat told reporters.
Nobbs bagged the post that has been left vacant since the exit of Jose Brasa. He has been appointed till 2016.
"The new coach will have enough time to revive the sport. It is the long term planning and association which will help the team and also give the coach time to settle down," he said.
"Execution of plans is a key thing and Nobbs has that quality to do it well," he said.
Pargat lamented that lessons had not been learnt despite India's failure to qualify for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
"We did not qualify and what is even sadder is that we did not learn the lessons from that. We are in the habit of pressing panic button and running here and there when crucial time arises. However, now I hope things will change," he said.
The other frontrunners for the coach's posts were twice Olympic and world champion Jacques Brinkman and Roelant Oltmans from the Netherlands.
"I hope turnaround of our hockey will start now," Pargat added.
PTI
First Published: Wednesday, June 29, 2011, 14:36