Brasa ready to accept top job in hockey

By Sandeep Narayan in New Delhi

But will only accept coach’s job when the government assures him of technological support

EXPECTATIONS from foreign coaches to produce miracles are becoming a sad cliché in Indian sports. The number of tragedies that have ensued between Indian sports administrators and overseas coaches is frightening.

However, hope springs eternal and undeterred by the Ric Charlesworth fiasco, the Indian Olympic Association ( IOA) run ad hoc committee is now hoping to put its faith in foreign hands – this time it is Spanish mastercoach Jose Brasa.

At first, Brasa seems like someone who pays close attention to details as he inspects the visiting card carefully, making sure that pronounces the name correctly.

You also realise that he is a man who doesn’t like to beat around the bush.

“ I have been told that the players in India, especially the captain, are not really receptive about the idea of having a foreign coach. I can understand the feelings of the players and what they are going through. But they have to understand that a coach is only here to help and if I can get them to understand, only then do I think we can move forward,” Brasa told M AIL T ODAY . “ I’m not here to be coach for the rest of my life and, frankly, my main task is to work with coaches in India and also to implement the latest coaching techniques into the Indian system.” He’s in a jovial mood which means that the meetings with ministry and SAI officials have gone well, but first impressions are always the easier part in India. Trouble starts when the subject of money comes into play.

“ The meetings were productive, but I will not come without the full knowledge of the situation here and until the government assures that they will provide me with the technological support that I require… I can’t say yes to the job,” was Brasa’s stern reply.

“ Indian hockey has been in a systematic decline and they need to embrace the changes that are taking place in the sport.

The biggest change being technological advancements. Today, all teams that do well have the best technological support,” he confessed.

“ That said, I know that change can’t happen overnight. It takes some time and we can’t say that everything that India has done in the past is wrong. We can’t disregard the Indian philosophy and idiosyncrasies. They have been incorporated in the system and we have to work with that.” Sounds optimistic, but strong resumes don’t count for much when it comes to ones competency in handling of players and coaches.

“ I am not afraid of what has happened in the past. I will make sure that everything is cleared before I say yes.” Spain’s former men’s coach Maurits Henricks has quit from his post and the spot is now open for new candidates, so it was natural one would be curious as to why Brasa is not opting for that job.

He grins as he says: “ I am a very straight talking person and some people in the Spanish sports structure do not like that.

There is a lot of politics.” Sadly for Brasa, the situation here is pretty much the same, if not worse, and this very characteristic of his may be more troublesome for him if he does accept the spot. Meanwhile, sources within the adhoc committee Brasa has to give his terms and conditions to the ad- hoc committee and then he will discuss the matter with the Sports Authority of India ( SAI) officials.

“ Once he submits his terms and conditions, the ad- hoc committee will forward it to the SAI and a final decision would be taken accordingly after a detailed discussion.”

Courtesy: Mail Today