Ajitpal lashes out at Brasa on team selection

KOLKATA - Hockey Olympian and selector Ajitpal Singh Sunday accused coach Jose Brasa of “spreading disinformation” while countering the Spaniard’s charge of not having a say in the selection of the Indian national team.

Brasa had come down hard on Hockey India and Sports Authority of India and questioned the selection of national team. He demanded a free-hand in picking the team as is the trend in other countries. The Spaniard also charged HI and SAI of ill-treatment, saying he and his family is not provided proper accommodation.

“He is spreading disinformation. He was always given a freehand (in selection). He always had a say in team selection. I can show you his signature in the team list. How can he say all this now,” Ajitpal said.

“He (Brasa) is in the habit of making baseless statements ahead of big events. He wants to create a controversy, he had done a similar thing ahead of the World Cup.

“His monthly salary is Rs. 7 lakh and his family is also getting accommodation,” said Ajitpal, India’s only World Cup (1975) winning captain, on the sidelines of a Bengal Hockey Association function.

He went on to the extent of saying that if India is not benefiting from Brasa, then he should be removed.

“It is not for me to decide. What’s the need to keeping him as coach, If the team is not achieving any success under him.”

Brasa had been vocal in his demand of getting a free-hand in the selection of the team.

HI sources say that Brasa got all the players he wanted till the World Cup in March, but after India’s poor eighth-place finish in the event, the Spaniard was clearly told that he will have to work with the team given by the selection committee.