The Hindu : Sport / Hockey : Rajinder removed

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jul 20, 2004

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Rajinder removed

CHENNAI, JULY 19. In a sudden and surprising development on Sunday night, the Indian Hockey Federation decided to remove Rajinder Singh from the post of chief coach and the team will now be handled by the two German coaches, Kutz and Rach, along with Jagbir Singh.

The news from Dusseldorf is still unclear whether Rajinder left on his own after expressing displeasure over the way the foreign coaches were treated by the administration or in disagreement with the IHF over the composition of the team.

According to official sources in the IHF from Dusseldorf, Rajinder was given only a minimal role in the four-nation tournament there.

The German coaches and Jagbir managed the team in the matches against Great Britain, France and Germany as India finished runner-up to the world champion Germany.

It is said that Rajinder and the German coaches did not agree on many issues.

It is learnt that the IHF President K. P. S. Gill, who is also now in Dusseldorf, has agreed to relieve Rajinder.

He has allowed the team to be handled by Kutz and Rach along with the former Indian Olympian Jagbir, appointed as the assistant coach before the team left for Germany, and the new Dutch goalkeeping coach Frank Leistra.

Rajinder and the four players who were dropped from the list of 20 left Dusseldorf for Delhi. — Our Hockey Correspondent

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