Cedric D’Souza prefers to keep mum

MUMBAI, Aug 3: Former national hockey coach Cedric D'Souza offered no comments on the choice of Pargat Singh for the same position. ``It's ...

MUMBAI, Aug 3: Former national hockey coach Cedric D’Souza offered no comments on the choice of Pargat Singh for the same position. “It’s the Indian Hockey Federation’s (IHF) prerogative on the issue,” he said while wishing the former captain of the national squad the very best in his new role.

Cedric was widely tipped to return as coach of the senior squad bound for Germany and Holland to participate in a four-nation tournament. At the IHF’s surprise announcement of Pargat as coach yesterday, contradicted signals by its President KPS Gill, who mentioned only a day earlier about Cedric’s chances of a return.

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Cedric guided India at the Atlanta Olympics last year where the side slumped to all-time low at the games. He subsequently resigned as coach but was elevated to being IHF’s executive director (coaching and planning) a position referred to by many as “coach of coaches”

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The former national coach emphasised his commitments to Indian hockey as executive director as the country braces for the World Cup and Commonwealth and Asian Games next year.

He viewed the 30 probables positively, discerning immense potential among many of the players selected. He, however, refrained from commenting on the choice of players or the dropping of Dhanraj Pillay, Sabu varkey, Ashish Ballal and Mukesh Kumar saying, “he was not part of the selection committee.”

Cedric was in Chennai recently for four days where he witnessed the Muruguppa hockey tournament which involved the nation’s to six sides. The event won by IHF Juniors provided Cedric a rare view of the nation’s resources.

The coaching director, who was sanctioned leave in June missed both the national championships and national games major domestic tournaments held for the first time in three years.

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Cedric’s absence was criticised by fans and media, especially since the events provided the nucleus of the country’s challenge for the years to come.But KPS Gill while speaking to this newspaper earlier spoke of a more specific role for Cedric in the coming months with the setting up of IHF coaching centres across the country.