Terry Walsh named Chief Coach of India men's hockey team

New Delhi: Hockey India (HI) on Tuesday named Australia's Terence Walsh, better known as Terry Walsh, as the Chief Coach of it's senior men's hockey team, replacing Michael Nobbs who had left the job on health grounds.

Walsh, who has earlier coached Malaysia (1990-94), Australia (1997-2000) and Netherlands (2004), last worked as Technical Director with USA field hockey from 2005-2012. He played 175 games for Australia, winning a silver medal at the 1976 Montreal Olympics.

India play the World Cup, besides the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games, in 2014; and HI secretary general Narinder Batra said Walsh's wealth of playing and coaching experience will help develop hockey in India. "Mr. Terence will provide the adequate guidance and motivation to the team. He not only has the experience but also has a vision to develop senior men hockey team as a well-knit professional unit," Batra said.

The Australian, according to Sports Authority of India (SAI), will be paid a salary of Australian dollars 12000, a thousand dollars more than what Nobbs used to get. "Walsh's name has been recommended to the Sports Ministry by SAI. His CV impressed us the most. We have fixed his remuneration at Aus Dollar 12,000. It's now up to the Ministry to take a call on his appointment," SAI Director General Jiji Thomson had told PTI on Monday.

Walsh termed the offer as humbling and a challenge that he hopes to meet with success. "The opportunity to head the Indian coaching team is extremely humbling. Coaching India must be regarded as the greatest challenge in the hockey world," Walsh said. "The world's richest history in our sport combined with the great passion of Indian hockey sets an incredible platform for excitement, but also expectations in this country.

"I look forward to working with the players, the coaching staff, Hockey India and the Sports Authority of India in ensuring no stone is left unturned with India's quest to return to the performance pinnacle of world hockey," he said.

Under his coaching, Australia won Commonwealth Games in 1998, Champions Trophy in 1999 and an Olympic bronze in 2000. In 2004, Walsh worked as head coach of the Netherlands hockey team that won a silver medal at the Athens Olympics. Walsh is also a recognised International Hockey Federation (FIH) Master Coach.