New Delhi,  2 Jan

Dutch coach Sjoerd Marijne has been reappointed as the chief coach of the Indian women’s hockey team, five years after steering the side to a historic fourth-place finish at the Tokyo Olympics.

Marijne replaces Harendra Singh, who stepped down in December following a string of disappointing results and allegations related to his coaching approach. The 51-year-old had earlier worked with the team from 2017 to 2021 and was widely credited with building a cohesive unit that broke into the world top 10.

“It’s great to be back. 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 said in a statement issued by Hockey India.

Former Argentina midfielder Matias Vila will join the set-up as analytical coach, while South African Wayne Lombard returns as scientific advisor and head of athletic performance. Lombard will be assisted by Rodet Yila and Ciara Yila.

Following the Tokyo Olympics, the women’s team entered a difficult transition period marked by injuries and retirements of senior players, including former captain Rani Rampal, Vandana Katariya and Deep Grace Ekka.

India failed to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics but secured bronze medals at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and the 2023 Asian Games.

The team also finished runners-up at last year’s Asia Cup, a result that fell short of ensuring direct qualification for the World Cup scheduled in August in Belgium and the Netherlands. In the FIH Pro League, India managed just two wins from 16 matches and were relegated to the Nations Cup.

Marijne’s immediate focus will be the World Cup Qualifiers, to be held in Hyderabad from  8 to 14 March. He is expected to arrive in India on  14 January, ahead of the national coaching camp beginning on  19 January at SAI, Bengaluru.

Welcoming the appointment, Hockey India President Dr Dilip Tirkey said the decision was expedited to ensure uninterrupted preparations for the qualifiers, adding that renewed emphasis would be placed on fitness  a key factor behind the team’s Tokyo performance