The Hindu: Neil Hagwood to go

By Uthra Ganesan

While men’s chief coach Roelant Oltmans is set to stay put for another four years with the Indian team, women’s coach Neil Hawgood will bid adieu to Indian hockey after the upcoming tour of Australia.

The Indian women’s team left for Australia on Tuesday morning for a three-Test series and Hawgood will return for just a couple of days to complete the formalities of his wrap-up.

In fact, barring Oltmans, the contracts of most members of both men’s support staff and are not expected to be renewed as Hockey India and the Sports Authority of India (SAI) look to start afresh for the 2020 Olympics.

“I was told of the contract not being renewed soon after the Rio Olympics. But there is no acrimony, it’s all very professional. My contract gets over now and I will not be continuing. I only wish for a series win in Australia to make sure I go out on a high,” Hawgood told The Hindu from Australia.

Sources said Hawgood would be taking charge of a women’s development side for a club in Japan soon. The former Australia player had left Indian hockey in December 2014 after his contract ran out, only to return in 2015 after the Indian women qualified for the Olympics for the first time ever on merit.

While German Mathias Ahrens was in charge of the side when the team finished fifth at the Hockey World League semifinals in Antwerp last year, the players admitted it was Hawgood’s system they followed for the success. India finished 12th at the Rio Olympics.

Under his charge, India won its first title in over a decade at the recent Asian Champions Trophy, bronze at the 2013 Asia Cup, the 2014 Asian Games and a histornic maiden bronze at the junior World Cup in 2013.