Will sign contract Brasa gets official nod as India coach

By S. Kannan in New Delhi

Will sign contract next week and take on the challenge of reviving hockey

THE heat and dust over hiring a foreign coach for Indian hockey has finally settled with the Sports Ministry announcing on Friday that Spaniard Jose Brasa’s appointment has been finalised.

It has been almost four months since the time Brasa, a FIH master coach made his presentation before the Indian officials.

After that, the coach was only sending e- mails to the ad hoc committee which now runs India’s national game. Sadly, rather than formalise the terms and conditions, the ad hoc body was merely forwarding those mails to the Ministry.

There were certain bizarre demands Brasa had made in his wish- list. According to a senior sports ministry official, it was only after the Ministry and the Sports Authority of India ( SAI) officials intervened was the matter sorted out. Brasa is expected in town on Monday to sign the contract. And it is perhaps no coincidence that the International Hockey Federation ( FIH) president Leandro Negre will also be in India at the same time for a day.

As per the agreement drafted by the Sports Ministry in consultation with the SAI, Brasa will be paid Euros 84,000 per year on a pro rata basis. It works out to Euros 7,000 per month, approximately Rs 4,60,00 per month.

In his earlier mails, Brasa had demanded huge bonus in case India won medals in major competitions abroad. He had also wanted Euros 9,000 per month.

However, as per the draft agreement, Brasa will be paid no bonus and his tenure will be till November 2010, when India competes at the Asian Games in Guangzhou, China.

“ His performance will be reviewed and then we will see if it can be extended up to the 2012 London Olympics,” said the ministry official. While there is excitement in the air that a foreign coach’s arrival will boost Indian hockey, the ministry has made it clear Brasa will not have absolute control.

Apparently, he wanted to bring his entire support staff from Spain! But as per discussions between the SAI, ministry, and Brasa, while he will have a say in running the sport, the guidelines in place for national sports federations will be applicable.

Brasa will bring with him a physical trainer and also a physio to help out the Indian team. “ He had asked for video analysis equipment and we will be providing that. He will also be responsible for training four Indian coaches and Harendra Singh will assist him,” added the Ministry official.

It is learnt that Brasa had expressed a desire to fly to Malaysia straight from Spain for the Asia Cup. But the Indian officials were convinced after the ugly happening involving previous foreign coach Ric Charlesworth’s tenure, they wanted to be sure Brasa would sign on the dotted line.

“ This is India, and things function here in a slightly rigid framework. We have explained it to Brasa,” added the official.

Brasa will also submit to the government a quarterly report of players in the national camp.

“ We want to see hockey back on top,” is the mantra now.

s.kannan@mailtoday.in