Sacked Mukesh lashes out at Hockey India

V.V. Subrahmanyam

Triple Olympian Nandnuri Mukesh Kumar is ‘disgusted’ at what he feels is a second humiliation within a space of six months when he was sacked as the chief coach of the Junior Indian hockey team.

It may be recalled here that the Hyderabad-based renowned right-winger of yesteryears had to beat hasty retreat after he landed up in Bangalore last October to take up the same assignment but was told at the reception that another gentleman Harendra Singh was appointed in his place. A startled Mukesh flew home within hours.

“Now this second ill-treatment. I just cannot understand the logic behind these moves by the Hockey India. When they approached me a few weeks ago, I told the gentlemen concerned that I would be taking up the chief coach of junior India team only if I am given the tenure till the next Junior World Cup in 2013,” Mukesh explained in a chat with ‘The Hindu’.

“And, after assuring me that I will be in charge of the team, now I come to know through the media that I am not wanted and Baljit Singh Saini was named in my place. There cannot be a worse humiliation,” says the Indian Airlines officer.

“The fact that I did not show too much of interest in being the assistant coach (an understudy for Michael Nobbs) for the senior India team as that would mean displacing my good friend and a well-set Mohd Riaz, is proof that I was very keen to take care of the juniors,” Mukesh explained.

“I am terribly disappointed with the manner I am being treated. There has to be some courtesy and the fact that I was not even informed personally really hurt me,” he pointed out.

“I wonder whether the Hockey India is any different from the Indian Hockey Federation under KPS Gill if these kind of actions are any indication,” he observed.

The 42-year-old Mukesh said to a query that Hockey India is now hinting at giving him a key post in the Development Council of HI. “But I am not keen as I feel for my age and being fit, I think the junior India coach should be more appropriate,” he said.

He also pointed out that in the six-nation Johor Bahru Cup where junior India team finished fourth under his guidance. the team scored the highest number of field goals – 16. “You cannot expect to work wonders in the space of three weeks. If that is the yardstick many other coaches too should have been sacked,” Mukesh felt.

Questioned what will be his future course of action, a visibly disappointed Mukesh is not sure whether he would be keen to even entertain any fresh suggestions from Hockey Ind