Theatre of the absurd: Harendra & Co, 45 probables retained

Sandeep Narayan

Hockey players in India are often told to seek inspiration from the past but who could have thought that it would be the officials and the administrators that would be the ones that get motivated first.

Otherwise there is no explanation as to why after nearly two months of meetings, deliberations, forming new committees at Hockey India would the Sports Ministry suddenly decide to reinstate a support staff that was selected for the CWG and Asian Games and was fired after the two events along with 45 probables that were chosen in back in April 2010.

In a letter from Hockey India to all its member, a copy of which is with Mumbai Mirror, it stated that the Sports Ministry and the Sports Authority of India have decided to retain the coaching staff of the Commonwealth Games.

This means that former national coach Harendra Singh, who had tendered his resignation after the Asian Games, will now once again lead the men’s national camp, which begins from today at the National Stadium in New Delhi. The camp is being held in preparation for the Azlan Shah Cup.

Why go back?

It’s not surprising that they go back to old coaches. Many teams do it but why after two months of meetings and interviews at Hockey India was the everyone still undecided on the new coach? “It’s actually a step backwards because we have been interviewing so many people for the support staff posts and now to go back to the same group that had resigned a long time is not a good move.

Back in the fray: Harendra Singh
Why the whole charade then?,” a member of the Hockey India developmental committee told Mirror.

One other thing that boggles the mind is why after the National Games not a single player was picked from the event and given a chance to play for India. It makes the tournament obsolete and the whole idea of a developmental committee useless.

This move shows that in the last one year no one at Hockey India or at the Sports Ministry could identify one single talent in the past one year that could play for India.