New Delhi: The search for a foreign coach for Indian men's hockey team finally ended on Wednesday with Australia's Michael Nobbs being named for the job or a five-year term period.
Nobbs was a part of Australian team that finished fourth at the 1984 Olympics. Netherlands' Jacques Brinkman and Roelant Oeltmans were the other contenders but Nobbs was seen as the best man for India.
India has been looking for a foreign coach since Spaniard Jose Brasa's contract expired after the Asian Games last year.
Hockey India then handed the reins to national coach Harendra Singh for last month's Azlan Shah Cup last month but he failed to produce desired results in the tournament.
The 57-year-old Nobbs will take over charge immediately in the national camp in Bangalore scheduled to start from Friday.
He will oversee the preparatory camp from July 3 till July 8 before flying back to Australia but will rejoin the camp again at the end of the month.
Nobbs' contract runs till the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro and his pay cheque will start at 10,000 Australian dollars per month.
His remuneration will be hiked by 10 per cent if the struggling Indian hockey team manages to qualify for next year's London Olympics.
Nobbs can expect another hike if the national team does well next year, as in a first in India hockey, his contract has a clause for performance-based incentives.
At present Nobbs will bring in only one support staff from Australia in exercise physiologist David John but if needed the game's administrators have agreed to engage more forigners with the team.
Nobbs has nearly two decades of coaching exprience and has extensively worked at the grassroot in Western Australia. He also coached the Japan women's team.
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