5 reasons why Harendra Singh as the men's coach is a golden opportunity for Indian hockey

In a major decision after the unimpressive show at Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, Hockey India has now appointed the women's team's former coach, Harendra Singh, as the men's team coach, while the current coach, Sjoerd Marijne, has been once again given the charge of the women's team.

Hailing from Chhapra, Bihar, Singh is a legendary coach who has time and again proven his credentials with historic wins.

He had served for a few months as the chief coach in 2009, leading India to a historic Sultan Azlan Shah Cup win, before Spanish legend Jose Brasa took over.

From the Junior Hockey World Cup 2016 to Women's Asia Cup 2017 Harendra has achieved everything as the coach of the Indian team.

Here are five solid reasons why Harendra is the best thing to have happened to Indian hockey in years:

---

#5 A strict, no-nonsense guy

Harendra Singh is one of the strictest coaches in the world at the moment

Maverick, stubborn, iconoclast: These are a few words that sum up the character of Harendra Singh as a field hockey coach. Never one to play by the rule-book, he is known for his straightforward, no-nonsense attitude.

To quote him, "This is where it gets tough. I am not easy to crack. I spare nobody. It's my way or the highway. But my way also means players will never regret their decisions to join me. My ideology on the pitch is just one: discipline.

...I tell players to their face if they're not good...I want my players to come on time, train hard and eat right. I won't make them run hills, but I want to see them run till 110 meters in a 100-meter race, rather than stop at the finishing line."

#4 The trendsetter for Indian field hockey

Harendra Singh has been modifying the Indian way of attacking hockey

For a man who could never go beyond the Beijing Asian Games 1990 as a player, where India lost to Pakistan 2-3, Singh has been a trendsetter for Indian field hockey.

When most of the coaches in the Indian team did not bother adapting to the modern conditions, Harendra took the tech route, focusing on modifying the Indian way of attacking hockey, when others tried mindlessly aping the European style.

This is why he struck gold in his very first official assignment when India won the Azlan Shah Cup in 2009 after a whopping 14 years.

Even when he was demoted to the position of assistant coach, he ably assisted the then coach Jose Brasa in earning India a respectable finish in the 2010 Hockey World Cup, a silver medal at the 2010 Commonwealth Games and another Azlan Shah Cup in 2010.

#3 A man who knows the system inside out

He is one who is not afraid to go against the system

An obstinate coach who insists on delivering the best results, Harendra refused to give up his strong work ethic even when it earned the ire of the management.

Harendra has come a long way in a short period of time - from being rejected and mocked for his origins to being the Man Friday for Indian hockey. Harendra wants a team that is not only robust but also prepared to take on anyone in the world.

Harendra clarified his own attitude when fighting against the system, "Yes, a lot of people do. Out of 50, 30 players are likely to hate me, the other 20 will become world-class players. So I don't bother about the 30."

While most of the Indian Olympians have become armchair critics following their limited successes since Moscow 1980, Harendra, despite not being an Olympian, insists on finding a solution to the problem rather than cribbing about it.

#2 A golden chance to make it big in 2018

He could do wonders at the World Cup this year

For the first time since the appointment of ex-coach Roelant Oltmans, Hockey India has taken a brilliant decision in appointing the right coach for the men's hockey team in the form of Singh, who has time and again proven his mettle on the field.

The first obstacle for the new coach is the last edition of the FIH Champions Trophy 2018. While the lineup, with the exception of Pakistan, is nothing less than daunting, given the presence of world champion Australia, Olympic champion Argentina as well as countries like Belgium and Netherlands, India will feel good about their chances.

While this may cause fans to worry, one tends to forget that the Indian coach is Harendra Singh.

He converted a 10th-placed junior hockey team into a world champion by 2016 and the women's team, who was ranked 12th at Rio Olympics 2016, into the giant-killing Asian champions of 2017.

If Harendra manages to even emulate the silver medal performance from the previous edition and defend the Asian title from the Incheon Asiad 2014, he can surely do wonders at the ultimate acid test, the FIH Hockey World Cup, to be held in Bhubaneswar from 28 November onwards.

This is a golden opportunity for the real life 'Kabir Khan' to prove why he is the best in his art.

#1 The ultimate target: Tokyo 2020

Harendra would be looking to bring back the Olympic Gold Medal back to India

Well, some may differ with us for being too optimistic. But going by his records, we wouldn't be surprised if Singh manages to achieve what no other coach in the past four decades: the elusive Olympic medal at the upcoming Tokyo Olympics 2020.

It was only after Moscow 1980, that India managed to reach the knockout stage at Rio Olympics 2016.

However, poor defence against Belgium threw away the medal which was almost in India's hands, despite the Indians having secured a comfortable lead for one whole half.

This is where Singh can avoid such blues.

While the previous coaches have insisted on a mix of the defensive Asian style and the intensive European attacks, Harendra has wholly insisted on employing the desi aggression, including an all-out attacking hockey in the same way, that made the Indian team an invincible force in this sport, especially the Summer Oly until the early 70s.

If India manages to do that, it can very well achieve a historic entry into the medal playoffs, and who knows, if Harendra manages to bring back what our fans yearn for the last four decades: the Olympic Gold Medal?

If that happens, Harendra will be immortalised in the golden history of Indian hockey forever.