Hockey: Harendra Singh is 25th men's team coach to be sacked in 25 years

With a vision and emphasis on building a strong player base ahead of the 2021 Junior World Cup and 2020, 2024 Olympic Games, Hockey India High Performance and Development Committee met on Monday, 7 January 2019. The meeting was attended by Chairman Dr RP Singh and members including Olympians Harbinder Singh, B.P. Govinda and Syed Ali. Basis their discussions the Committee has recommended to reassign Dronacharya Awardee Harendra Singh as the Coach for the Indian Junior Men's Hockey Team. Committee Chairman Dr R.P Singh has made the offer for the said position to Harendra Singh for taking charge of the Junior Men team commencing from the camp slated to start in March 2019. The mercurial rise of some of India's top junior hockey players under the tutelage of Harendra Singh between 2013 - 2016 when the India Colts lifted the historic Junior Men's World Cup in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh and Harendra Singh's abilities of grooming youngsters has been the key reasons for the think-tank at Hockey India to arrive at this recommendation. Though the year 2018 was very disappointing for the Indian Men's Hockey Team with results not going as expected, Hockey India believes investing in the junior program which will reap long-term benefits. In the meanwhile, Hockey India will shortly be advertising and will invite applications for the position of the Chief Coach of the Indian Men's Hockey Team which will be returning to training camp in February 2019 for the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup scheduled to commence from 23 March 2019. In the interim, the team will be overseen by Hockey India High-Performance Director, David John and current Analytical Coach, Chris Ciriello.