Indian Hockey coach Terry Walsh to be offered fresh contract

 

On Tuesday, Walsh announced that he was leaving, citing “difficulties adjusting to the decision-making style of the sporting bureaucracy in India.”

 

It brought back dark memories of the last time India had won an Asian Games gold, in 1998 at Bangkok, only for chief coach M.K. Kaushik and a raft of senior players to be shown the doors almost overnight by the autocratic president of the Indian Hockey Federation, K.P.S. Gill.

 

SAI director general Jiji Thomson said that Walsh did not have a problem with his organisation, financial or otherwise, and that the 60-year-old Australian would be offered a fresh deal to quell his worries. There was accordingly, no question of resignation.

 

“Walsh has not withdrawn his resignation. As per the contract, he has to give one month notice for resignation. Since the resignation will officially come into effect from 19th November, 2014, it was decided that the contract will be renewed before 19th November, incorporating these clauses.

 

“During the discussion, he made it very clear that he has no problems with regard to the tax deduction or remuneration. His major concern was about the lack of functional autonomy in deciding technical matters relating to hockey,” Thomson said.

 

“He was of the view that he, along with the High Performance Director, need to be given more freedom in the decision making process. From SAI side, we have absolutely no issues on this. This is a matter that needs to be discussed with Hockey India,” Thomson said that a meeting involving all; stakeholders to be attended by sports minister Sonowal would be shortly convened to clear further issues.

 

Another matter raised by Walsh related to his holiday entitlement, to which Thomson said, “This is an issue that could be sorted out and we have expressed our readiness to reconsider the holiday package.

 

“We have also requested Mr Terry Walsh to help us in preparing a long term athlete development plan for hockey.  He has readily expressed his willingness to get the best experts available and prepare this plan,” SAI chief added.

 

On his letter to SAI, Walsh had said, “In addition to my difficulties with not being able to professionally operate within these bureaucratic confines, I am not willing to continue with the constant time away from my family in Australia. My current commitment places too much stress on my personal life.”

 

However, he later indicated to members of the senior team that he could reconsider his resignation and re-negotiate his contract with SAI if his concerns were addressed.