Dutchman Sjoerd Marijne was on Friday reappointed chief coach of the Indian women’s hockey team, five years after he guided the side to a historic fourth-place finish at the Tokyo Olympics, following which the team went through a difficult transition phase.
Marijne replaces Harendra Singh, who resigned in December last year amid underwhelming results and allegations of a “high-handed coaching approach”.
The 51-year-old, who was associated with the Indian women’s team from 2017 to 2021, will be supported by Matias Vila as analytical coach. South African Wayne Lombard also returns to the Indian hockey set-up as scientific advisor and head of athletic performance.
“It’s great to be back. After 4.5 years, I return with fresh energy and a clear vision to support the team’s growth and help the players achieve their full potential on the world stage,” Marijne stated in a press release issued by Hockey India.
Marijne, who enjoyed immense goodwill within the squad and was widely credited with building a cohesive unit that celebrated collective success, stepped down immediately after the Tokyo Games citing family reasons. During his earlier stint, India also broke into the top 10 of the world rankings.
Vila, a former Argentina midfielder, made his international debut in 1997 and represented his country at the Olympic Games in 2000 and 2004. He has been involved in coaching for more than two decades.
Lombard will be assisted by Rodet Yila and Ciara Yila, both of whom will serve as scientific advisors.
Addressing transition woes
Following the highs of Tokyo, the team entered a challenging transition phase with the retirement of key players such as injury-ravaged captain Rani Rampal, Vandana Katariya and Deep Grace Ekka.
The Indian women’s team failed to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics but managed podium finishes at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and the 2023 Asian Games, winning bronze medals on both occasions.
They also claimed a silver medal at last year’s Asia Cup, though it fell short of securing direct qualification for the World Cup scheduled in August in Belgium and the Netherlands.
India were relegated to the Nations Cup after managing just two wins from 16 matches in the elite FIH Pro League last year.
Marijne’s first major assignment will be the World Cup Qualifiers in Hyderabad, Telangana, from March 8 to 14. He is scheduled to arrive in India on January 14, with the National Coaching Camp set to begin on January 19 at SAI, Bengaluru.
“We welcome Sjoerd Marijne, and the entire support staff to the Indian Hockey family,” Hockey India president Dr Dilip Tirkey said.
“We extend our gratitude to the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) and Sports Authority of India (SAI) for expediting the appointment in order to ensure the team''s preparations for the upcoming World Cup Qualifiers is not hampered.” “Emphasis has a been laid on fitness of the team which was one of the key reasons for Indian Women''s historic performance in Tokyo. We look forward to a fruitful stint,” he added.