I am still the best option for Indian hockey: Brasa

He has left India after a bitter fallout with authorities but Jose Brasa has still not given up hope of being called back to coach the country’s hockey team as the Spaniard feels he is the best available option for the job.

“I think that the solution for Indian Hockey is not there in India. It will come from outside the country. Indian Hockey certainly needs a foreign coach,” Brasa said from Madrid.

“Nobody from Hockey India or SAI has called me after my departure. I am still waiting for their call. If they say no, then I will decide about future I can not live without Hockey and coaching and can coach any international team. But my first choice is India again,” said Brasa who is taking part in a coaching workshop in the Spanish capital.

“I think there is no reason not to renew my contract. The Indian team has performed well in last 18 months. Don’t judge them on results only. Players performance graph has also gone up and up,” he added.

Mulling whether to pick a foreign or a local coach for the team, Hockey India recently got a statement from the legndary Dhanraj Pillay saying that he is the best person for this job.

But Brasa feels that he can prepare the team for Olympic qualifiers better than anyone else.

“I think I can help them more than anyone else since I know all the players and their capabilities better. I know how to bring the best out of them. Any other foreign coach will run away from the problems but I did manage to get results in those circumstances and will do that in future also,” said the Spanish coach whose contract expired on November 30

During his tenure, the Indian team clinched silver in the Delhi Commonwealth Games, a bronze medal in the Asian Games as well as the Azlan Shah title.

Apart from the final verdict on his contract, Brasa is also waiting for the Sports Authority of India to clear his dues. — PTI