FIH Pro League 2023: Hockey India declares David John, BJ Kariappa, and Shivendra Singh as interim coaches for the Indian men's team

Hockey India, the governing body of field hockey in India, has named David John, BJ Kariappa, and Shivendra Singh as interim coaches to guide the men's national team for the FIH Pro League 2023 matches. This decision comes after the sudden departure of the former head coach, Graham Reid. He resigned from his position in January 2022.

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David John will lead the team as the interim head coach. Earlier, John served as the high-performance director of Hockey India. He has vast experience in coaching and has previously worked with the Australian and Malaysian hockey teams. John has been associated with the Indian team since 2013. He has been credited with bringing a scientific approach to the team's training and development.

On the other hand, BJ Kariappa will work alongside David John as the assistant coach for the FIH Pro League 2023. Kariappa has been a part of the Indian coaching setup since 2014. He has previously worked as the chief coach of the Indian junior men's team. He has also served as an assistant coach for the senior men's team.

Shivendra Singh will work as the forwards' coach. He was part of the Indian team that won the 2011 Asian Champions Trophy. Singh is also a former Indian international player and has represented the country in numerous international tournaments. He has also worked as a coach for the Haryana state team.

The appointment of David John, BJ Kariappa, and Shivendra Singh comes at a crucial time for the Indian team, as they prepare for the upcoming FIH Pro League 2023 matches. The trio will have to work together to ensure that the team can perform to the best of their abilities. Hockey India also named a 20-member squad for the same.

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With the departure of Graham Reid, there is a need for a fresh approach to coaching and management. The interim coaches will have to work towards building a cohesive team and bringing out the best in each player for the FIH Pro League 2023. Hockey India has stated that the appointment of the interim coaches is for a temporary period and that they will continue to evaluate and make changes as necessary.