Save Indian Hockey! Retain Coach Jose Brasa! Plea from the fans

3rd May 2009 was an average day for any Indian. Getting up, going about their business, finishing it and getting back to sleep. However, for a hockey fan the importance of that day was a lot more. He set his eyes on a dream then, a dream whose wings had taken shape with the appointment of Jose Brasa. On 3rd May, Jose Brasa signed a contract with Hockey India with an ambition to relocate India on the map of World Hockey. He signed a contract to help India reach to the top once again. This dream can now materialize, we have won the CWG silver. But unfortunately, the wings of this dream will be clipped even before we set our eyes on the free sky.

All because, now Jose Brasa will be shown the door by Hockey India.

Coaches have come and gone, but this sea-change was not brought by anyone. A man with limited resources and no authority brought the change that we needed. But what does he get in return?

Nothing.

Since the day he has landed in India to coach the Indian National Hockey Team, the man has just faced humiliation. Disregard and thanklessness on part of the administration. Whenever he has raised a voice against this injustice, a new diktat was issued. Whenever he tried to bring some change in hockey, he was stopped.

Just two months ago he gave an interview where he said,’ I have lost. Your system has won. I tried my best to change it. I pleaded, I cried, I did everything. But HI won’t budge.’ He stayed as the coach for the players, for Indian hockey that needed him, so desperately. He was promised many a things when he joined but power hungry officials never gave him anything. His family was not provided accommodation. He was not allowed to select his own team. He was not allowed to select the playing 11 for the team. In his own words he was expected to conquer the world with his hands tied.

To add insult to injury, he was not even invited to the meeting of Hockey Team players with the Prime Minister even after his hard-earned success in CWG. All the coaching staff was invited but SAI conveniently forgot Jose Brasa.

After spurring to its first men’s hockey medal in CWG, Jose Brasa should be retained as the coach for a sufficient period of time. After many a years, we have seen confidence in the eyes of Indian hockey players, there is a belief in them that they can compete with the best to become the very best. Even Ric Charlesworth said, “Do not look at the scoreline as it does not suggest the kind of game that was played. The Indian team has improved a lot since Brasa has joined.” His opinion was seconded by FIH President Leandro Negre who said the board should retain Brasa as their coach.

As a hockey fan who has been following hockey for more than 10 years, I totally agree with both Ric Charlesworth and Leandro Negre. As the saying goes, “Rome was not built in a day”, similarly we cannot win tournaments by just changing the coach and players. In the past one year, Jose Brasa has been working with a pool of players that have played most of the tournaments with fair success.

Now that there is a good understanding between the coach and the players, it is time we get some dividends. We as stakeholders deserve this. It is our duty to make sure that the unscrupulous money-hungry babus who sit and chew their samosas in the Hockey Federation don’t come in the way of our success.

It is increasingly apparent that Brasa’s contract will not be renewed, which means a lot more than just taking two steps back. It means another era of hopelessness for the Hockey fan, another era of shame and ridicule for the national sport. The team needs a tactician and he is the best for this job. Ric Charlesworth suffered this fate and Jose Brasa will too, if only.

If only, you and I make a difference. We as fans of Hockey have not only a right but an obligation to have a say in this matter and now. If at any moment in the past, you have fumed because Indian Hockey could not, post your comment and blame it rightly on the men behind the scenes.

For truly and without any exaggeration, it has been them.

We failed to go to the Olympics, because of them. We were humiliated by the IHF over internal disputes, all because of them. Our legends Pargat Singh and Dhanraj Pillay were sidelined and shut-out by them. Revolutions begin at chaos but are meant to restore peace, lets begin the revolution right here, right now against them.

If only you have ever enjoyed a Gagan Ajit Singh reverse shot, if ever you cheered when Rajpal dribbled past a defender and if only Sandeep Singh‘s drag-flick made you hop out of your seat: share your anguish here so that they know. Consider your anguish posted here, the signatures on the death warrant of corruption and injustice in Indian Hockey.

It’s about us, it’s about the players, its about the prestige of our nation. Join the revolution and Chak De, Chak De India!

Please comment on the article which would be considered your signature on this plea. This would then be submitted to the President, Media, Sports Authority of India and Hockey India.

Hockey India facebook page