Dutch coach Van Ass to take charge of men’s hockey team

NEW DELHI: Former Dutch national team coach Paul van Ass was named as the new head coach of India’s men’s hockey team, ending three months of uncertainly after Australian Terry Walsh quit under controversial circumstances.

While 54-year-old Van Ass, who was at the helm of affairs of the Dutch team from 2010 to 2014, will take charge of the men’s team, New Zealand’s Anthony Thornton, 47, will replace Neil Hawgood as the coach of the women’s senior team.

According to sources, both Van Ass and Thornton have been awarded a three-year contract till 2018. India will host the 2018 men’s Hockey World Cup. It has been learnt that both Van Ass and Thornton will get a pay cheque similar to their predecessors, Walsh and Hawgood. While Van Ass is expected to join his new assignment within three to four weeks time, Thornton will need some more time to report to his new job.

VIJENDER PULLS OUT THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Vijender Singh has pulled out of the 35th National Games starting on Saturday after failing to recover from a nagging nose injury. “I have not been able to recover from the nose injury which had forced me out of the Asian Games November last. It flared up again while I was training some days back,” the boxer said. The former Olympic bronze-medallist middleweight boxer, however, assured that the injury was not career-threatening. The 29-year-old was last seen in action at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow last year where he won a silver.

DELHI TO HOST

KOLKATA: Delhi will host group A of the under-19 national league football competition from Sunday through Saturday. Delhi team Hindustan FC, Bengaluru FC, Lonester Kashmir FC and Tata Football Academy comprise group A. Matches will be held at Ambedkar stadium.