By a hockey correspondent
NEW DELHI: A series of changes book immanent in the Indian hockey team and its officials.
A dismal performance by the home team against experimental sides of other countries has set the ball rolling. Mr Shaman Lal Sharma who was asked to train the tam for the Indira hockey after his contract expired at the end of the Beijing Avan Games has seen the writing on the wall and sent his resignation to the IHF President Mr R. Prasad.
On the other hand Mr Gursewak Singh Secretary IHF says that there is 90 question of his quitting the post. The IHF has not signed any contract with him for training the team. The core group of the federation was expected to meet shortly to decide about the team officials especially the coaches both for senior and junior teams.
Though the efforts were still under way to persuade Mr Balkrishan Singh to become national coach both for junior and senior teams and appoint other members of his coaching pane! so as to prepare good teams for the future international engagements no final word has been heard about the offer
Mr Balkrishan Singh has still not made up his mind. The IHF is convinced that only Balkrishan Singh can build a team which could help India get out of the present rot of dismal performances.
Since Mr Ghufrasn-e-Azam a vice-president of the federation could not come here for the meeting those who were present here including Mr R Prasad Mr N.P. Katare Mr D.S. Murthy and others unanimously approved the name of Mr Balkrishan Singh.
In all probability most of the players who donned national colors would go. Pargat Mukesh and Jude Felix would be joined by only handful of players from the present team for preparing the squad for the Auckland tournament in October this year.
Similarly the IHF is convinced that it will have to do some relay hard work to prepare its team for the Junior World Cup qualifying tournament in December this year. Twenty of the 48 probable presently under-going training at Gwalior are likely to be retained. Remaining 10 of 12 berths would be filled by finding fresh and untapped talent including the National School Games.
In case Mr Balknshan Singh accepts the offer to become the national coach he would be given a free hand jo recommend probable for national camps both juniors and seniors and arrange the camps at places suitable to him.
The chances of the two teams in such a probability of training at one place or close by cannot be ruled out.
Mr Jhaman Lal Sharma was appointed national coach after India finished 10h in the seventh World Cup at Lahore Dung his one-year association with the team India finished fifth in the BMW Tournament at Amsterdam and second in the Beijing Asian Games besides third here.
In fact Mr Shaman Lal Sharma was with the team only for a week or so before the start of the Indira Gold Cup Tournament here. Earlier he had gone to Spain with the U.P. Stare Electricity Board hockey team.
Nothing has been decided about Inam-ur-Rehman who received a bronze medal at the prize giving ccfemony with tam members recently. Mr Jhaman Lal Sharma decided against accepting 3 medals as the crowd shouted slogans against him and some members of Indian team in protest against their poor performance.
Meanwhile the IHF is contemplating to take over the conduct of the tournament from the Uttar Pradesh Sports Control Board. In case the proposal is approved the next tournament would be organized in Bombay or at some other place.
Article extracted from this publication >> February 15, 1991
