New Delhi, Aug 5 (PTI) Lambasting the Sports Authority of India for the mess that Indian hockey has become, former Technical Advisor Ric Charlesworth today claimed SAI never wanted to employ him and called for privatising the national game in order to bring back its lost glory.

Charlesworth described the country’s administration as a “minefield” of bureaucrats and said their increasing interference in the sport was a worrying factor.

“Corporatise hockey in India, that’s the best way to put in place a professional structure,” Charlesworth told reporters.

“Priorities in training programme should be decided by the coach and not by some bureaucrats. Three years ago I gave then IHF President KPS Gill a comprehensive programme, saying if you implement this India will rise by one spot yearly in the world rankings and by Beijing Olympics you will be placed world number 4, but unfortunately he never took it seriously.

“All the support staff of the team needs to have a proper contract,” he said.

Charlesworth, who had left the country in a huff citing inadequate working and living facilities beside non-payment of his bills, returned to India to get his dues cleared from the SAI before leaving for Australia tomorrow.

Charlesworth admitted that he was “disappointed” to leave the job.

“One good thing is that Indian media is interested in hockey and transparency to the media is very essential,” he said. PTI