Doctor Charlesworth, can you produce a miracle for
Indian hockey? This question, will no doubt, haunt Ric
Charlesworth after he is likely to reach India in
December.

Can a legendary Australian who was regarded as the
best player for a decade (1976-86) and produced
awesome result as the coach of the Australian women’s
team, usher a change in Indian hockey? Or, will Ric be
forced to give up after spending six-eight months
here, because “foreign coaches” are considered
“unsuitable for Indian conditions”?

I won’t be surprised if comparisons are made between
Ric Charlesworth and Greg Chappell (eerily, they are
contemporaries) but Ric’s achievement as the coach of
the Australian women’s team is incomparable in hockey
(men’s or women’s) and he’s in elite company in all of
sports.

I have strong reasons to believe that the entire
process–to get a reputed foreign coach actively
involved in the makeover of Indian hockey—which has
been initiated by no less than the FIH and IOC
president, Jacques Rogge, to check hockey’s waning
popularity in the Olympic Games by using India as a
catalyst, could be derailed in the coming months by
powerful lobbies. Namely: First, the IHF president KPS
Gill, I’m told, is not sure whether a foreign coach
can work in Indian condition. Secondly, some of our
former coaches and Olympians cannot rise above petty
issues, such as fighting over honorary perks and
junkets and they will be desperately seeking attention
on the injustice done to them, with the appointment of
a foreigner.

Till the 1970s, a lot of Indian players used to be in
demand as coaches in Europe and Africa. Today, I doubt
if even Tanzania (India beat them 19-1 in the 1980
Olympics) would risk approaching us.

Though, after Chak De! India, all of us have become a
bit hopeful about Indian hockey. In 2003, when Ric
told a few of us Indian journalists during the
Champions Trophy held in Amstelveen (Holland) that he
was interested in coaching India, I googled
Charlesworth to find out more about his stint with the
Australian women’s team. My search on the 2000
Olympics preparation yielded some interesting nuggets
on the legend. I had expected a plethora of positive
comments about Ric’s emphasis on scientific approach,
planning and fitness of the team etc. But, there was
something totally different and unique topic for
discussion in the Australian media: It was about Ric’s
passion, loyalty and motivation he brought as a coach
to get the best from his team. No wonder, the
Hockeyroos dominated the Olympics for the second time
in-a-row.

I’m thrilled to inform you that recently I spotted one
such coach in Indian hockey: “Kabir Shahrukh Khan”.

Tailpiece:
I recently met Dr Howard, 95 years of age. An American
coach, who took over as principal of the Lucknow
Christian Medical College, he headed the Rajkumari
Amrit Kaur Scheme, the fore-runner to the National
Institute of Sports (NIS) in Patiala which was created
to promote sports after Independence and was Milkha
Singh’s coach at the 1958 Commonwealth Games, where
the ‘Flying Sikh’ won a gold medal. Dr Howard is
currently on a month-long visit to India after three
decades. He spent 33 years in Indian athletics (from
1944-77). The good Doctor has a great memory and
interesting tales about Indian sports. More of it in
the next.

(The writer works for the Mint newspaper)