Mukesh Kumar sacked twice in six months, Saini takes over as junior coach

BANGALORE: Mukesh Kumar is in the news for the wrong reasons again. He has been sacked for the second time in six months as the head coach of the junior national team for reasons best known to Hockey India (HI).

Mukesh, who trained the juniors for just one tournament in Johor Bahru in November last year, has made way for Baljit Singh Saini, who was assistant to chief coach Michael Nobbs in the senior camp last year.

It has been a roller-coaster ride for Mukesh ever since he evinced interest in coaching the junior team last year. He was promised the job by the coaching committee of HI but was told to work under Harendra Singh when he landed in Bangalore for the camp in September.

The triple Olympian, had quit the national camp just hours after he landed at Sports Authority of India in Bangalore, saying he could never work under Harendra.

“This is the second time I have been treated shabbily by the federation,” Mukesh told TOI.

“The first time they brought in Harendra Singh although I had been originally appointed the chief coach for juniors. They accommodated me after Harendra quit the camp. Now, they have brought in Baljit Saini.”

Mukesh said he had better credentials for the job when compared to Saini. “I have played more than 300 internationals, three Olympics, two World Cups and two Asian Games. Isn’t my experience as player more than his? I also heard MK Kaushik was being approached at one point in time. He would have been a better choice,” he said.

Mukesh felt he was the shown the door because he had demanded the ‘best team’ for the six-nation tournament in Johor Bahru.

“I am sure I have been sacked because I was straightforward and did not agree with the selectors when the team was being finalized. I told them I wanted the best team and there were a few players who were not the best.”

The team finished fourth in the tournament but Mukesh said he had just 20 days to get the boys ready. “Harendra was in charge for the first 10 days,” he pointed out.

On his return, Mukesh was told that although he had enough knowledge to impart to the players, he didn’t quite know how to present it.

“I was told to join the senior team as assistant to Nobbs or become a selector. But I was not interested. Right from the time I was interviewed by HI last year, I told them I wanted to be the coach of juniors because I knew I could contribute towards improving their basics. That’s what we did at the first camp with some success. I was keen on being the coach until the next World Cup.”

Mukesh said that HI hadn’t bothered to inform him that he was no more in the scheme of things.

“It is sad but true. I realized I was not wanted when I tried to call them to convey my interest in watching the recent junior Nationals in Pune. I was keen on picking fresh talent. But there was no reply from their end. I think we have returned to the days when coaches were being sacked every month. It is sad for Indian hockey,” he said.

Meanwhile, HI secretary general Narinder Batra clarified that Mukesh would be given a bigger role. “Mukesh has not been dropped,” he said. “I spoke to him 15 days back and told him that he would be in charge of the coaching and development committee.”

Mukesh said no such offer was made.