Firstly, the new technical expert of Indian hockey and legendary Australian coach Ric Charlesworth made a sooner than expected entry (officially it was supposed to be in December) at the Bangalore camp where the Indian probables are currently training for the Olympic qualifiers. This, after the IHF dilly-dallied for more than 31 years on appointing a FIH master coach for the national team.

The Aussie legend, I am told, didn’t hesitate in his first meeting with Joaquim Carvalho, to suggest a few changes in the training system. For some of us, who have followed the process of Ric’s entry into Indian hockey, Carvalho’s reactions in various forums on the appointment of the legendary coach from Australia, were similar to human fear about the landing of the Aliens!

Carvalho, who’s certainly not a green horn to Indian hockey politics, claimed in various media interviews that he has been given advance assurance from Charlesworth and IHF that there will not be any interference in his training programme.

One recent media report eulogising former Olympian and a member of Carvalho’s think-tank, M.M. Somaya, who has been selected to go to Kuala Lumpur to watch India’s rivals in the Champions Trophy tournament, who’ll later on meet India in the Qualifiers. It’s a part of team strategy followed for decades by the other countries. However, I wonder when the same report jumped to conclude the move (sending Somaya to KL) proved that “we had talent too”. Then, it goes on to highlight the cost at which the Australian legend has been hired to come to train Indian hockey. Incidentally, Charlesworth’s name has been recommended by none other than the FIH (international hockey federation) in conjunction with the International Olympic Committee. So, what are we really talking?

My question to those opposing Charlesworth is: We haven’t really covered ourselves with glory for the last 30 years. And frankly, why not try now?

The Australian legend is the only hockey professional in the true sense (except for his brief fling with NZ Cricket) who makes a living out of hockey (TV commentary, lectures, coaching, mentoring, consultant, writing hockey books). Charlesworth retired in 1986 and took up coaching soon after and since then has been involved in coaching. Compared to him, Somaya, and no offence meant, had hung up his boots in late-1980s, and has been of more utility to his employer than to coaching at top level in any sport. The same applies to Carvalho, who was not coaching a major team in the domestic circuit till 2005 after his Mahindra team was disbanded. You cannot take hard decisions based on emotion and past attachment.

Secondly, the announcement by the FIH that the IHF secretary Jothikumaran will be the interim chairman of the 2010 World Cup Organizing Committee in New Delhi, raises some eyebrows. A hockey buff pointed out, in a conversation, a serious problem with the announcement. He asked, how many sponsors will come forward to support Indian hockey if Jothikumaran is at the helm of affairs, as he carries a negative image. Even hard-critics of KPS Gill believe that the all-powerful president of the IHF is still the only person with any credibility left in the Federation.

The third but not the least important issue is of the PHL board sidelining hockey’s only icon in the country, Dhanraj Pillay. According to the latest decision of the PHL board, the mercurial star will not be allowed to play the next PHL tournament despite his superb fitness, on age ground (above 34 have been disallowed). It happens nowhere in the world. I see scope for a Public Interest Litigation on the count of discrimination of age (Dhanraj is 39).

Notwithstanding Charlesworth’s entry, it's worrying that the old mindset hasn’t changed much in Indian hockey. What if we bungle again. Even Shahrukh Khan won’t dare to act in a hockey sequel.