Hockey Special Report: Bronze brings another clash in Indian Hockey
The failures of Indian’s hockey team in the recently concluded Asian Games has intensified the clashes between Chief Coach, Jose Brasa and Captain, Rajpal Singh, which were soundlessly continuing for last several months. A new battle of mud-slinging is commenced
between the skipper and the coach, who were part of the squad, which earned the bronze medal in the 16th Asian Games held in Guangzhou, China.
Usually, a failure of Indian hockey team starts a series of muckraking, sacking of caches, replacements of captains and hockey lovers holding placards before the governing bodies asking them to get-rid-of the corrupt officials. The same combat of defamation
between the two hockey guns started this time again, which will further disgrace the sport in the country.
It was just three days passed between Indian hockey team obtaining a bronze medal after thrashing South Korea in the third place play-off match and coming back to home that the skipper and the chief coach launched a mud-slugging campaign against each other,
the Sport Authority of India (SAI) and Hockey India (HI).
The calumny fight has been started with the accusations of Indian’s skipper, Rajpal Singh towards chief coach, Jose Brasa. Rajpal claimed that the chief coach humiliated and disgraced him earlier in the World Cup, the Commonwealth Games and in the Asiad.
Rajpal further stated that Jose Brasa treated him with offence in the team meetings, adding his duty as a captain was just to make the toss. He further said that the coach directed him not to talk with the players in his absence and during the half time.
He remained quiet for last few months in the best interests of the team, as significant tournaments were up ahead, he added.
The allegations of Rajpal Singh and side comments coerced Spaniard coach of Indian Hockey team, Jose Brasa to break his quietness over the issue.
Jose Brasa rebuffed the claims of Rajpal Singh saying that he had not humiliated anyone and he had been very decisive all around his tenure and that was the main reason behind the dislike of officials and the management.
Clarifying his position the chief coach further said that it was a reality that neither he nor the team players wanted to appoint Rajpal Singh as a captain of the team since Prabhjot was best option for them. However, the selectors and officials had preferred
Rajpal Singh over Prabhot Singh. Withal, he had very genial relations with skipper, Rajpal Singh and he considered him a good human being and a professional player, he added.
Jose Brasa elaborating his strategies said that he always supported rotational captaincy system as practised in Australia, adding Rajpal Singh is a wonderful player who could deliver much better performance without extra- onus of captainship.
Expressing his difficulties, Jose Brasa stated that Hockey India (HI) and Sport Authority of India (SAI) had not liked him even HI Secretary General Narider Batra publicly announced that Brasa was an avenge coach and would be sacked soon.
Spaniard coach of Indian hockey team, Jose Brasa took the team in June 2009. The squad in the guidance of Spaniard earned disappointing 8th position in the World Cup. However, Jose Brasa’s boys succeeded to acquire silver and bronze medals in
the Commonwealth and in the Asian Games respectively.
Brasa held his experience with the team bitter saying that a chief coach deserved much better respect; however here the issues are linked with the system not with the team.
Indian hockey team, which will have to cross the hurdles to qualify for the 2012 London Olympics, is now clinging between the fight of captain and the coach. It missed the last Olympics for the first time in the 80-year history of Olympics Games.
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