Janneke Schopman's Future As Indian Women's Hockey Team Coach Lies In Limbo

Indian women's hockey team chief coach Janneke Schopman's days are numbered as she is unlikely to get an extension after her contract expires in July this year for failing to produce results, including the side's failure to qualify for the Paris Olympics. Schopman, who was the analytical coach in Indian women team's historic fourth-place finish in Tokyo Olympics, took over the reins of the national team after Spaniard Sjoerd Marijne's departure just after the quadrennial event.

"Her contract ends in July-August (Till Paris Olympics). Let us see what happens, I can't tell anything at this point of time," a HI source told PTI.

It is, however, learnt that Schopman is unlikely to get an extension.

The Dutch player-turned-coach's best result with the Indian team was the bronze medals that the side won at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games and the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.

But barring that feat, Schopman has nothing more to show as the Savita Punia-led side failed to win the gold at the Asian Games, which would have directly sealed its berth at the Paris Olympics.

Schopman and her side had another chance to seal the Paris berth through the Olympic Qualifiers in Ranchi in January this year.

But there too they faltered, losing to Japan in the bronze medal play-off with three top teams from the tournament sealing their berths for the Paris Games.

In fact, Schopman's relationship with Hockey India secretary general Bholanath Singh soured after the Indian women failed to make the Paris cut through the Asian Games.

It became bad to worse after her recent outburst in the media following India's last FIH Pro League game at home against USA, where she claimed that she didn't get the value and respect from some quarters of the