From A Sports Correspondent PATIALA: Prof Gursewak Singh, Chairman of the Planning and Coaching Committee of the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) expressed surprise over the statement issued by M.P. Ganesh national coach regarding the performance of the Indian team in the recently held Champions Trophy and the Intercontinental Tournament in the USA.
Prof Gursewak Singh said that Ganesh had been given a free hand in coaching and selection of the team and despite this be had failed miserably to train the boys according to the needs of the present day hockey. He pointed out that Genesh in his report after the Seoul Olympics had recommended dropping of 10 players from the squad but had continued with them even after.
He said that Ganesh who took over the charge of the team two years ago owed an explanation to the hockey lovers as well as to the country.
The national coach, he said, should have come to the IHF committee first instead of rushing (o the Press. This was an indication that Gesh needed a for his weakness as a trainer, Prof Gusewak Singh said that India, which finished seventh in the World Cup and third in the intercontinental tournament were now actually placed at number 10 in the world.
Referring to Ganesh’s statement regarding new rules, Prof Gursewak Singh said that the new rules were instead helpful to India and that the national coach should have trained his boys well before. He said that the strength of a team on Astroturf was not judged by the number of goals scored against it. He said that in most of the matches, even in the USA tournament, the Indian team had a poor start, going into deficit even against poor teams.
He said that the meeting of the planning and coaching committee was being held shortly to discuss the reports of team’s performance in both these tournaments and also for chalking out ways and means to put the Indian hockey back on the rails.
Article extracted from this publication >> August 11, 1989
