The Indian women’s hockey team is unlikely to get a coach in time for its crucial tour of New Zealand next month. Anthony Mark Thornton, who was selected to replace Neil Hawgood last month, is unavailable even before he could take charge of his new responsibilities.
Thornton, a New Zealand citizen, was supposed to take charge before the women’s Hockey World League Round 2 hosted by India earlier this month but had to delay his arrival due to poor health.
However, he has now been omitted from Hockey India’s scheme of things following his inability to come any time soon. Thornton, who was in charge of the women’s hockey programme at the New South Wales Institute of Sports till 2013, was named the Indian women’s team coach along with Paul van Ass, as the men’s coach on January 30.
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“We got a letter from him only a couple of days before, stating he had undergone surgery and had been advised at least six months of rest to recuperate. The team has been without a chief coach since the beginning of the year, but Anthony was hospitalised and could not be reached.
“We cannot wait for six months and have written to SAI for a replacement,” Hockey India president Narinder Batra told The Hindu.
The replacement is likely to be Canada’s Mathias Ahrens. He has been in charge of his country’s junior men’s team, the Durkheimer Hockey Club and the Scottish Institute of Sports.
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The third name on the shortlist, South African Fabian Gregory, is also a contender but he already has a contract with its men’s national side till the Rio Olympics and so may not be readily available.
A final decision would be taken only after the approval of the Sports Authority of India. However, with SAI director-general Injeti Srinivas unwell, the decision is likely only next week once he takes charge.
“I am not in office and need to get back, may be by Monday or Tuesday, to start working on pending issues,” Srinivas said.