When the mighty Australians outplayed The Netherlands in the World Cup final in The Hague five years ago, Graham Reid was Richard Charlesworth’s Deputy coach. Any sensible nation, that too if they have good purse, would have lapped it up either of them to coach their national team. But India preferred later the losing team’s Chief Coach, Stephen Van Ass, only to ‘fire’ him soon.
Five years down the lane, as the irony would have it, the scenario changes.
Graham Reid is back to India following the long list of foreign coaches who had the ‘taste’ of India.
Graham Reid had been a great player being double Olympian for his country, and had enough coaching experience under legendary Ric.
Grahm Reid succeeded Ric after The Hague explosion. But results proved he his nowhere near his master’s.
Australia was World No.1 team when he stepped into fill up the shoes of Ric. But he had to oversee the team crashing out of Semi-final in Rio.
Expectedly, Australia did an India: He had to demote himself and went on to fit in with Dutch system not as Chief, but as Assistant Coach.
India therefore did not bring a coach whose recent performace was on upswing, but definitely on decline.
India pays huge salary to its Chief Coach thanks to Sports Authority of India’s generosity, but due to Hockey India’s quixodic approach, it had to satisfy with coaches who could not sustain in thier homeland.
Having said this, there is a need to welcome new coach. After all we have a coach now. So what if the Probables have already been selected!
There is a strong view in India that Reid’s predecessor Harendra is still best suited for the job. Those who advocate this view should ask the players for the answer. Its Indian players, who have led him down.
For, Harendra Singh was never a choice of Hockey India. We don’t know the reason. The fact is that, many insiders claim, that Harendra would have never been made it to the top seat but for Lucknow. The players who won the Junior World Cup in Lucknow, and the kind of public adulation it had elicited, have got him Harendra into the zone of consideration in the first place.
He was given the women’s mantle. At the same time, players failed ‘Swap’ coach Sjoerd Marijne in the Commonwealth Games. Hockey India had to make Harendra the Men’s chief coach.
Indian players let Harendra down in Jakarta. They had a chance to amend for Jakarta in Bhubneswar. It was also not to be. It paved way for another foreign coach. Now we have Reid.
If India has cycles of coaches its all due to Indian players’ who hardly surprise us with good results like the Japanese did in Jakarta or the Argenteneans in Rio.
Today, India has the dubious history of having a new coach every year since last 30 years.
It did not stop as welcoming Reid.