SA hockey crisis: Interim coach hesitant to apply for permanent post

Amid South African hockey's financial crisis, South Africa's interim hockey coach, Cheslin Gie, is hesitant to apply for the full-time men's hockey coach position.

On Tuesday, the South African Hockey Association (Saha) confirmed the shock withdrawal of the SA men's national team from the esteemed FIH Pro League season for 2023/24, despite having qualified for it.

According to Saha, financial issues were the reason for the decision to pull out as they needed to pay R10 million by 16 January.

Saha couldn't afford the amount and it resulted in South Africa being replaced by Ireland in the prestigious Pro League.

Gie took over from long-time coach Garreth Ewing in November, following a fourth-place finish in the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

READ |  Finances, sponsorship behind SA Hockey's shocking decision to bail on Pro League 

Gie then took South Africa to win the eight-nation FIH Nations Cup hosted in Potchefstroom, which guaranteed them a place in this season's Pro League.

South Africa also finished bottom of Group A in last month's FIH Hockey World Cup in India.

Saha will be in need of a permanent coach soon, with the job application set to be advertised.

"I was only interim coach for the Nations Cup and the World Cup and there should be an advert coming out soon for the new national coach," Gie told News24.

"I'm just hesitant as I'm not sure how I can work with people that I can't trust. To me, that's sad and shows you where we (Hockey SA) are at the moment.

"How are we going to move forward from this, especially as a coach of this side."

ALSO READ | SA hockey reeling as Pro League bombshell leaves players shattered: 'It's getting worse'

Gie was shocked and outraged over the disconnect shown by Saha over their financial