Hockey India on Tuesday announced Harendra Singh as the chief coach of the Indian’s men’s team, while Dutchman Sjoerd Marijne returns to the women’s camp.
Following the men’s team below-par show during the Commonwealth Games recently, there was widespread speculation that there would be a shake-up in the management.
The men’s team, under the tutelage of Marijne ended a disappointing fifth in Gold Coast, returning without a medal for the first time since the 2006 CWG. Singh had a stint with the men’s team between 2009 and 2011. He was appointed the coach of the women’s team after Marijne replaced his compatriot Roelant Oltmans, who was sacked.
The women’s team, though, had an impressive run under Marijne, qualifying for the Hockey World League Semi-Final last year. “I’m excited to reunite with the women’s team and will look to focus on building on the good form exhibited by the team in last six months as we look forward to the women’s World Cup 2018,” Marijne said after the swap.
The 44-year-old’s first tournament with the women’s team will be the Asian Champions Trophy in Korea starting on May 13.
Singh, who coached India to the junior World Cup title in 2016, saw his team finish at a respectable fourth at the recently concluded Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast. His most important contribution was leading the women’s team to the Asia Cup title in Japan last year.
“It is an honour for me to now manage the Indian men’s Hockey team,” he said. “It has been a very satisfying journey with the Indian women’s Hockey team and I would like to thank Hockey India for entrusting me with the new role as we prepare ourselves for a very important season ahead.”
Mohammad Mushtaque Ahmed, Hockey India’s Secretary General, said, “Harendra Singh brings with himself wealth of experience and has previously managed a lot of the men’s team players during his stints in the Hockey India League and with the junior teams. While, Marijne’s first stint with the women’s team was a very successful one and we are sure he will continue to do well with this team as he has done in the past.”
