This refers to the editorial, “Sacking harms the game” (September 6). Indian men's hockey coaches work with the proverbial sword of Damocles hanging over them. Ric Charlesworth, Jose Brasa, Michael Nobbs, Terry Walsh would have had a full stint in any other country. Roelant Oltmans had a ‘six-year-goal’ to elevate India to one of the top three in the world. But Hockey India had other ideas; Oltmans' tenure was cut short for ‘poor performance’ and ‘uninspiring long term plan’. Obviously, no one can deny Oltmans was far from being a roaring success as coach if a win in every match is considered a yardstick for ‘success’. Hockey India bosses cannot escape the fact that the team's world ranking received a major boost after the Oltmans took over.
The team looked a vastly improved unit, fit and fast, under Oltmans who once coached Netherlands to the 1996 Atlanta Olympic gold. It is futile to expect the team to always win in fast paced, skill oriented, team game like hockey. Since three senior players were part of the High Power Committee which gave the red signal to Oltmans, there may be something more to Oltmans' sacking than meets the eye. Was he too much of a disciplinarian much to the players' chagrinIJ Unless a coach is handed a full-term without distractions and interferences, every Indian's hope of seeing its hockey team adorn the winning podium at the Olympic games will remain a distant dream.