Hockey India, Somaya urges world class coaching for juniors
Three-time Olympian and former skipper of the Indian hockey team, Maneyapanda Somaya, urged the authorities concerned to provide world class coaching to junior hockey players of India to improve the level of the sport in the country.
Many of the former Olympians and legendary hockey players of India are giving suggestions to the Indian hockey management regarding betterment of the game. A dilemma hit Indian hockey following the humiliating defeat by Malaysia in the semi-finals of the
Asian Games last month. Indian skipper, Rajpal Singh resigned from his post while the contract of Spaniard coach, Jose Brasa is yet to be renewed.
Former Olympian, Maneyapanda Somaya, was of the view that the most important thing is that the hockey management should provide world-class training and international trends to junior hockey players in the best interest of the game.
Explaining the attributes of coach, Somaya said, “Basically, a coach should have two attributes. One, he should have good knowledge of the game as it is played internationally and second, man-management skills”.
Commenting on the hunt of India for a coach, Somaya was of the view that India should go for the best person regardless of his/her status, adding that the coaching or training of a team is linked with capabilities and techniques of a coach rather his status.
Somaya was of the view that good governance in the Indian hockey would not only bring victories but also take Indian hockey to the top.
To a query about renewal of Brasa’s contract, Somaya asserted that it has not mattered a lot whether a foreign or local coach trains the national team but he should be given four years for preparing the squad.
The incumbent players of the Indian hockey team have been improved a lot with the coaching of Jose Brasa and they should persist with bettering the spirit, Somaya maintained.
Maneyapanda Muthanna Somaya is a former player and skipper of Indian hockey team, who was part of the squad, which won the gold medal in Moscow Olympics in 1981. He also participated in two other Olympics in Seoul and Los Angeles.
The government of India awarded a Life Time Achievement award to Somaya in 2007 in reward of his contributions to hockey.
Three-time Olympian, Somaya also showed interest in taking charge of the Indian hockey team as a coach saying that he will take the responsibility but it will take time.
It is pertinent to mention here that many of the former Indian hockey players including Jude Felix, Harendra Singh, Ranjan Negi and now Maneyapanda Somaya showed interests in the coaching of the Indian hockey team.
No one knows when the coaching quandary of Indian hockey will be settled and concerned authorities will select a coach for the national team.
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