Janneke Schopman's future as Indian women's hockey team coach uncertain

Janneke Schopman's future as the Indian women's hockey team's head coach is uncertain as her contract expires in July this year. With the Indian team failing to secure a spot in the 2024 Paris Olympics, Hockey India is unlikely to extend her contract.

At the Asian Games in Hangzhou last year, the favourite Indian women's team disappointed as it lost to China in the semifinal and returned home with a bronze medal.

Schopman, who was earlier the analytical coach with the women's team, took over the charge of the national team after Sjoerd Marijne, who was in charge during India's fourth-place at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, quit after the showpiece.

News agency PTI quoted a Hockey India source who stated, "Her contract ends in July-August (Till Paris Olympics). Let us see what happens, I can't tell anything at this point of time."

But it has become clear that Schopman and HI are not in good terms after the former Olympic gold medallist with the Netherlands women's team made an emotional outburst recently as she opened up about the difficulty of working in India as a woman after India's FIH Pro League match against the USA.

"I felt alone a lot in the last two years," said Schopman, who has been in charge of the team for two and half years now.

"Neither Hockey India not SAI (Sports Authority of India) has treated her badly. We have always given due respect and recognition to her," she alleged.

According to the PTI report, Schopman, 46, was seeking a salary at par with the men's team head coach Craig Fulton and this was precisely the reason behind her recent rant.

"To demand higher salary what matters is results. She has done well with the girls but recent results are not in her favour," the source PTI quoted said.

Schopaman's next assignment will be the Indian team's European leg of the FIH Pro League in May.