Brasa gets top job

Harpreet Kaur Lamba

New Delhi

May 1: Spanish coach Jose Brasa was on Friday appointed as the men’s national hockey coach till the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou, China.

A senior International Hockey Federation master coach, Brasa led the Spanish women to the gold medal at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.

Talking to this paper from Spain, Brasa said “he was very happy with the offer and was looking ahead to join the national team”.

“It is a great opportunity and a big responsibility which I will look to fulfil to the best of my capacity. I will reach New Delhi on Monday to sign my contract, and I am very keen to join the team at the earliest.”

The Indian team leave for Kuantan, Malaysia — venue for the Asia Cup tournament — on Sunday and Brasa will join the team in a few days’ time.

“Brasa will soon join the Indian men’s hockey team as the chief coach.

“An agreement between the government of India and Brasa was signed recently in this regard for a period of two years till the next Asiad in 2011,” Union ministry of sports joint-secretary Pravir Krishna said here on the day.

The 55-year old will be paid 84,000 euros per annum and will bring along physical trainer David Perez, who will join the team after the Asia Cup. Unhappy with some changes in his final contract, Brasa said, “There was a 180 degree turn when I got the final contract, and I had my doubts.

“The Indian ministry could not meet my demand for a team of 5-6 people, and also my family was no invited. But all this is fine with me at the moment.

“I was firm on two things right from the start — scientific methods of training and up-to-date infrastructure and there wasn’t any cut in that.

“These are minimum requirements for any top hockey playing nation,” said Brasa.

“The Indian authorities accepted it, and I accepted the job in return,” he added.

Brasa, who will arrive in the city on Monday to complete the formalities, said he would like to work with the national team till the 2010 London Olympic Games and take Indian hockey to newer heights.