Van Ass willing to return, doesn’t want ‘interference’

NEW DELHI: India’s hockey chief coach Paul van Ass, who claims he has been fired from the job following an altercation with federation president Narinder Batra, on Wednesday said he is willing to resume his duties provided there is no “interefernce” in his work.

Van Ass, who took charge of the team only five months back, had alleged on Monday that he had been “fired” by Hockey India following the spat with Batra after the quarter-final match against Malaysia in the World League Semi-finals in Antwerp, Belgium earlier this month.

After the episode, a fuming Batra constituted a special committee under Olympian Harbinder Singh a take a call on the coach’s future on July 24.

Asked if he is ready to rejoin the Indian team if asked to do so, van Ass told PTI from Rotterdam: “It’s too early to jump the gun. Let’s wait and see. The fact is I am not welcome any more. For sure I have been sacked just a week after the tournament (in Antwerp). I am just waiting for the official word.

“But whatever happens I am OK. I have never quit the job. I have never said I have quit. What can you do if you are fired?