Decks cleared for the former coach to take charge again

IF SOAP operas were to be played in sports, then the Indian Women’s Hockey Federation (IWHF) would be the perfect source of inspiration for the script writers.
What was supposed to be a simple re-hiring of MK Kaushik as their chief coach turned into a series of confusions and complications forcing the Olympian to quit. The federation had no choice but to fall back on former coach GS Banghu.

However, things are looking bright again for women’s hockey as it seems that after months of persuasion, Kaushik will be the chief coach again. Though the news is not official, sources in the IWHF say that the coach has agreed to take the offer.

“I spoke to Kaushik two days back and he told me that he has agreed to be coach of the women’s team in principle. In fact he has written to the IWHF that he will join the team as soon as he gets clearance from his department,” said an official of the IWHF.

The official also stated that a meeting took place between IWHF and Sports Authority of India (SAI) officials and it was agreed that Kaushik can coach the team till the 2012 Olympics.

“We had a meeting that was attended by IWHF officials, including president Vidya Stokes. There we agreed that Kaushik could coach the team for another year, seeing his good performance,” said PC Kashyap, Executive Director SAI.

When Kaushik had quit, the team suddenly fell into disarray but somehow managed to bounce back to end last year on a high. The new coach and his support staff had settled down and it seemed that the team was finally heading in the right direction.

However, the IWHF it seemed was still missing the services of Kaushik and had approached him and asked him to re-join. Kaushik stated that he was not getting leave from the Haryana Sports Department and because of that he could not continue as coach.

But sources close to the coach said that the IWHF officials were not agreeing to some of his conditions which included him having a say in the team’s selection.
“I have sent a letter to the IWHF stating that I would like to coach the team and am just waiting to get leave from my department and as soon as that is done, I can coach the team. I am considering joining the team during their upcoming camp in Lucknow,” said Kaushik.

Kaushik stated that he was not enthusiastic about taking up the job again but a call from Indian hockey’s Technical Advisor Ric Charlesworth some time back made him change his mind and he reconsidered the offer.
“Ric called me from Oman where the women are recently training and asked me to rejoin as coach and that the team was in need of my services.”

He, however, did not comment on whether the differences between him and the federation had been resolved. The question which now comes to mind is what happens to Banghu. He was supposed to coach the side in the qualifiers and the Olympics.

Though Kaushik was always the federation’s first choice, Banghu was there with the team when they needed him. But as things go in Indian hockey, dumping of coaches on short notice is not a new thing.