Rajpal open for a foreign coach but asks HI to follow BCCI

Rajpal said the national federation should adopt a more professional approach in the selection process and said personally he wants an Australian coach for the team.

"Instead of randomly picking anybody, Hockey India should invite applications for the post of chief coach just like the BCCI. The coach can be a foreigner or Indian but what matters is his performance and attitude towards players. Personally, I am in favour of Australian coach," Rajpal told PTI Bhasha.

"The Indian cricket team is hugely successful because they have professionally chosen support staff. We should adopt this in hockey also to avoid any controversy in future," he said.

Incidentally, the senior men's hockey team is without a coach after the Asian Games where they won the bronze medal.

National coach Harendra Singh had tendered his resignation immediately after India's shocking 3-4 defeat at the hands Malaysia while chief coach Brasa's contract has expired and is unlikely to be renewed.

Interestingly, Rajpal's recent statement could further jeopardise Harendra's chances of becoming the head coach of the team as he had already irked some HI officials with his resignation drama during the Asian Games.

Harendra's subsequent statement in the media that he is ready to reconsider his resignation if given full authority of the team has also not gone down well with the office bearers of the national federation.

But Rajpal declined to make any specific comment when asked about Harendra's efficiency as national coach.

"In last 18 months Brasa was fully incharge of everything, so it is hard to comment on national coach as he hardly had anything to do. I think national coach should also be selected like the chief coach," he said.