Hockey coach Michael Jack Nobbs gets down to business

He is here and all set to get down to business. India’s new national coach of the men’s hockey team, Michael Jack Nobbs, landed here on Sunday evening. He went straight to the Sports Authority of India Southern Centre, where he is said to have had discussions with the other coaches and Hockey India officials. HI director of coaching SS Grewal has also arrived and so has Walter Joseph.

Joseph, who flew in from Australia on Sunday, will detail out the training programme for the team and fly back after a fortnight or so.

Nobbs will get down to the job on Monday morning and address them. He is also expected to speak to the players individually later. As of now, the plan is to divide the players into three groups and subject them to speed and strength tests.

“We will see a lot of hockey in the next few days,” said Grewal, who is the camp coordinator and in-charge. “The coach wants the players to get down to action so that they can be assessed and given roles. We are waiting for exercise physiologist David John to come. When he comes, there will be more tests. We are looking at an eight-month plan to tell us how well the boys can peak during the Olympic qualifiers next year.

“After that, we will see about the formation etc and it should all be done in the next two weeks,” Grewal added. Meanwhile, Dhananjay Mahadik will probably go back from the camp for rehabilitation as he is also injured. Shivendra Singh and Bharat Chikkara will not attend the camp as they too are injured. It is reliably learnt that Shivendra had a shoulder surgery a few days back and will be out of action for a few months.

Michael Nobbs named India hockey coach

The Indian hockey team got a new coach on Wednesday with Australian Olympian Michael Jack Nobbs bagging the coveted post after the exit of coach Jose Brasa. He has been appointed the coach for the national team till 2016, giving him ample time to revive the national sport and bring it to its glory days.

The other front runners for the post were twice Olympic and world champion Jacques Brinkman of Netherlands and Dutchman Roelant Oltmans.

SAI Director General Desh Deepak Verma said, “The new coach will be given a contract till 2016 Olympics because we now have to think about long-term associations."

Although the new coach will be provided a long-term contact, his performance will be evaluated after every international outing.


"But after every international tournament we will assess his performance," the SAI DG said.

Asked about the remuneration of the new foreign coach, Verma said, "It would be slightly expensive than the last foreign coach but I guess we can afford that for Indian hockey.

"In addition his contract will also have provision for incentives if we qualify for the (2012 London) Olympics," he said.


Apart from the SAI DG, the meeting was also attended by HI secretary general Narinder Batra, former skipper and HI Developmenet Committee chairman Pargat Singh, who shortlisted the candidates, HI Executive Director Anupam Ghulati among others.