Rajinder Singh (Junior) at an India practice session

New Delhi: Ending all speculation over the future of national coach Rajinder Singh (Jr), the Indian Hockey Federation on Tuesday said the former international would continue in his post till next year’s World Cup.

The IHF president K.P.S. Gill said Rajinder, whose appointment was a stop-gap arrangement for the just-concluded Azlan Shah Cup in Malaysia, would continue to hold charge till the mega event, to be held in Monchengladbach in Germany in September next year.

During the period, India are scheduled to play several important tournaments including the Champions Trophy in Chennai in December, the Melbourne Commonwea-lth Games in March next year besides a few bilateral series.

“He (Rajinder Singh) will be there, at least till the World Cup. He is the right man (to be in the post). Since he will be there till the World Cup he will be the coach in other tournaments before the event,” Gill told reporters here.

The IHF president also gave enough indication that he was not in favour of having a foreign coach for the team.

“Look what happened to Pakistan. They spent crores of rupees on the foreign coach, but I don’t think he could bri-ng about a change in the performance of the side,” he said.

Rajinder, who was offered India’s hot seat after the unceremonious exit of German Gerhard Rach, seemed to have pleased the IHF with his work in the Azlan Shah Cup even though the team finished fifth in the seven-nation event.

“India had to play with several youngsters with many of them playing their first international tournament. They did fairly well,” Gill said.

“Some of the regulars were missing due to injury and some could not be picked because they were suspended on disciplinary grounds. Simultaneously a training camp for junior World Cup players is going on in Hyderabad. Altogether nine players who play regularly for the senior team are attending the camp. They all are vital players.

“We had to induct other youngsters with many of the-m playing their first international tournament. They did quite well,” the IHF chief said.

Gill sees India’s qualification to play in the Champions Trophy ? direct or by default ? as a confirmation that the team has been performing consistently at the highest level.

“We are consistently qualifying for the Champions Trophy, which is played between the six best teams in the world,” Gill said.

India, whose best finish in the elite event was a bronze medal over two decades back, made it to the last edition in Lahore after Australia pulled out at the last moment on security grounds.

For this year’s Champions Trophy, India get an automatic berth being the hosts.

India coach Rajinder, meanwhile, said the team could not have asked for a better finish in Kuala Lumpur.

“I am quite happy with the performance. We had several new faces in the team. It was a new experience for them. So naturally the pressure was there,” Rajinder told reporters at the airport here after the team’s arrival late Monday night.

“Except in the match against Malaysia in the league phase, India did fight well, particularly against Pakistan and Australia who were held up till the end,” Rajinder said.

(PTI)