Joaquim surprised by Felix`s appointment as hockey coach

Mumbai: Former national hockey coach Joaquim Carvalho today expressed surprise at the appointment of his ex-teammate Jude Felix as an additional coach of the men`s team, saying there were already quite a few others donning the same role.

"I would like to know what will be the specific role of Jude Felix as the team already has the likes of Terry Walsh as chief coach and M K Kaushik and Sandeep Sangwan as the other coaches," Carvalho told PTI today. Hockey India announced today the two-time Olympian will be assisting Australian Walsh. "I would also like to know whether Walsh talked to Kaushik and Sangwan on wanting to have Felix added to the staff," said the former Olympian. "V Baskaran had also been roped in to coach the team some time ago and I wonder what has happened to him," Carvalho said. Another Olympian Mervyn Fernandes termed Felix`s appointment, albeit for just three months on a probationary basis, as "an interesting change in the coaching staff". "Jude always wanted to coach and has got experience of doing this in Singapore. His achievements as a player were good. He is also younger and should be having an idea of latest style of play," said the former inside forward. Felix will join the training camp of the senior men`s hockey team tomorrow at Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium in Delhi for preparing it for the World Cup to be held in the Netherlands from May 31 to June 15.