It is difficult to communicate with the people who run the game in India.” That disparaging comment comes from one Ric Ian Charlesworth, former captain of the Australian hockey team, the Western Australia state hockey team and the Western Australia state cricket team, a member of Australia’s federal parliament for 10 years till 1993, former national coach of the Australian women’s hockey team and now High Performance manager with the Cricket Board of New Zealand.That’s a condemnation of how the game is administered in India. “I was interested, it was a great challenge and I was looking forward to it,” Charlesworth says of his futile attempt last year to offer his services as Indian hockey coach. In Chennai as a television commentator, Charlesworth calls the unplanned future course of Indian hockey a “pity” and says even Korea and Argentina are far ahead of India. Charlesworth first approached the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) several months before the Athens Olympics. He presented a 15-page programme—a list of things the team and management needed to do. It included a support programme for players. He followed it up over e-mail and phone. “They told me they’d appointed Rajinder Singh Jr for the Azlan Shah tournament, and that was that. All communication stopped after Rajinder’s appointment.” The cricket comparison is inevitable: “They did it in cricket. Greg Chappell was called. They had a number of contenders. And they had a process.” IHF secretary K Jyotikumaran refuses to comment. “It’s an irrelevant question now,” he fumes. In coaching, he says the need is to develop the juniors. “We take one step a year and in five or six years, you are into the medals. It’s a realistic aim. But India does not want to go that way. It is a pity.” In seven years with the Australian women’s hockey team, the side won four Champions Trophy titles, two World Cups, two Olympic gold medals and a Commonwealth gold. Now in a two-year contract with New Zealand cricket Charlesworth says he won’t take the job now without a tenure that will allow change in structure, discipline and organisational culture.One more thing. “The IHF has to approach me now.” India go down fighting to SpainHosts India started their Champions Trophy campaign on expected lines, going down to defending champions Spain by the odd goal in two at Chennai’s Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium on Saturday. Tabau Eduard put the visitors ahead in the 19th minute while Pablo Amat sealed in the lead in the 48th minute before Kanwlpreet Singh converted a short corner to draw India level in the 30th minute. In the opening match of the day Australia handed Germany a 4-1 drubbing. Jamie Dwyer scored a brace (14, 36), while Nathan Eglington (30) and Brent Livermore (39) scored one each for the winners.,Christopher Zeller (61) reduced the margin. Later, Pakistan were outplayed by the Dutch 4-1. Pakistan had to be content with the consolation goal by Mudassar Ali Khan. For the Dutch Matthijis Bouwer (5th), Teuun de Nooijer (13th), Ronals Brouwer (44th) and Rob Reckers (61st) scored.
