Womens team practising without coach in Bhopal

While Hockey India seems to be doing everything possible to put mens hockey in the limelight,the women appear to be getting a raw deal. The Indian womens senior hockey team,who are preparing for the womens Asia Cup in Bangkok later this year and the 2010 Commonwealth Games,have been practising without a coach since Thursday in Bhopal. With chief coach MK Kaushik in Boston with the team for the junior World Cup,Sandeep Somesh had been given charge of the players. But Somesh had to rush back to Bangalore because of his fathers ill-health. As a result,the camp,which ends on August 3,currently only has a trainer,a doctor and a physio.

Hockey India secretary Aslam Khan said that the camp had already been disbanded,but a player said they were still in Bhopal and were supposed to leave only on Monday. There is no coach at the moment, the player admitted. Team sources said with a proposed series against Holland cancelled,it was decided that having too long a camp would serve no purpose and the players would re-assemble in September. But as of now,there is no one in charge of the team, sources added.