Sjoerd Marijne has been name the national coach.
Credit: x/@Sjoerd Marijne
Hockey India (HI) have named Sjoerd Marijne as the chief coach of the Indian women's Team.
The 51-year-old succeeds Harendra Singh, who had stepped down from the post due to personal reasons last month.
The Dutchman returns to the Indian set-up after a historic performance at the Tokyo Olympic Games when the team finished fourth in only their second appearance at the quadrennial event in more than 36 years.
Marijne will be supported by Matias Vila as analytical coach. Vila is a former midfielder from Argentina who made his international debut in 1997 and competed in the 2000 Sydney Olympics and the 2004 Athens Olympics for Argentina. He has been involved in coaching over the past two decades.
Also making his return to the Indian hockey scene is Dr Wayne Lombard, as Scientific Advisor and Head of Athletic Performance. He will be supported by Rodet Yila and Ciara Yila, both in the role of Scientific Advisor.
On his return to India, after a stint between 2017 to 2021 where the team made it to top 10 FIH world rankings, Marijne said: "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's first challenge will be the FIH Women's World Cup Qualifiers to be held in Hyderabad from March 8 to 14.
Marijne will arrive in India on January 14 while the national coaching camp begins on January 19 at Sports Authority of India centre in the outskirts of Bengaluru.
(with inputs from Hockey India Media)