IHF all set to find new coach

Chennai, Mar 28 (UNI) The Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) is contemplating 'sacking' coach Rajinder Singh (Jr) after the disappointing show in Melbourne Commonweath Games.

IHF Secretary K Jyothikumaran, who returned here was a disappointed man with another dismal performance by the senior hockey team. He indicated that Rajinder could be shown the doors.

''This appears inevitable now,'' he told UNI when contacted today.

He said by April 1 a meeting to review the situation would be held and a final decision taken on finding a new coach.

However, he ruled out IHF going in for a foreign coach right now.

''We have to find somebody here itself,'' he added. V Bhaskaran, a former Olympian and India captain, who had coached the senior and junior teams till his tenure ended with Sydney Olympic Games, looks a strong probable to take charge again.

Mr Jyothikumaran said Rajinder was not able to strategise part property for the matches.''For instance against Pakistan, we were playing well throughout the first 35 minutes. But conceded goals in the first 10 minutes into the second session,'' he pointed out.

He said the IHF now faced the challenge of putting together a strong team for the tough four-nation tournament in Germany in the second week of April.

To recall briefly, the Indian team's poor run in international arena under Rajinder (Jr) the failure the Sultan Azlan Shah Tournament in May last year when Rajinder took charge, the Robo Bank Tournament in Netherlands and the six-team Champions Trophy Tournament in Chennai in December 2005.

UNI VV PM KP1250