Oltmans set for another four-year term with India

11/02/2016

Roelant Oltmans has been offered a four-year extension as Indian men’s hockey coach after the Dutchman guided the team to success as the Asian Champions Trophy in Malaysia last week. Oltmans will, however, relinquish his original role as high-performance director.

“I have been told about the contract being extended till 2020. I am yet to sign on anything and I have asked for certain changes in the terms but they are very minor and I don’t think there should be any problems,” Oltmans told The Hindu.

The tweaks, reportedly, includes permission to go home between camps more often than before.

“Since I would only be the coach and not the HPD, there will be less duties. Also I have hardly given any time to my wife in the last four years and with all the support she has given me, I feel I should do the same now,” he said.

The senior men’s team has fared well over the past 12 months under Oltmans, who doubled up as coach in August last year after the sacking of compatriot Paul van Ass, winning bronze at the World League final in December and silver at the Champions Trophy in June.

India finished eighth at the Rio Olympics in August after losing to Belgium in the quarterfinals, and the 62-year-old took the team to gold at the Asian Champions Trophy, beating Pakistan 3-2 in the summit clash.

Former India exercise physiologist David Ian John has been finalised for the job of high-performance director and is expected to arrive in the country later this month to finalise his contract.

Women’s team coach Neil Hawgood is unlikely to continue, the newspaper said, although no decision has been taken yet.

Oltmans would also receive a pay hike of $1500, up from the current $15,000, as the chief coach whereas David John is expected to get $15,000 as HPD.