Australia’s Graham Reid Named India’s New Men’s Hockey Coach

Hockey India has named Graham Reid as the new chief coach of the Indian men’s hockey team. 

(Photo: Hockey India)

Australian Graham Reid's appointment as the men's national team chief coach till the end of 2020 was ratified on Monday after Hockey India received necessary clearance from the Sports Authority of India (SAI).

Reid's appointment was more or less certain after Hockey India recommended his name to the SAI last month.

It has been learnt that Reid has been handed a term till the end of next year but his tenure can be extended till 2022 FIH World Cup depending upon his performance.

According to a Hockey India official, Reid is expected to draw a salary of USD 15,000 per month and will be shifting base to Bengaluru with his family.

"Reid's tenure will be till the end of next year. As per industry standards, every international coach's contract is supposed to be for an Olympic cycle.

"But his contract will have a provision of extension till 2022. Everything will depend on India's performances leading upto the Tokyo Olympics," the official told PTI. The official also said that Reid will soon join the ongoing national camp at Sports Authority of India South Centre in Bengaluru, which began Monday.

The Indian chief coach's position has been lying vacant after the unceremonious sacking of Harendra Singh in January following a less-than-impressive quarterfinal exit at the World Cup in Bhubaneswar last year.

Reid had a decorated playing career for the Australian national team and was part of the silver medal winning team at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.

He was also part of the Australian squad that won back-to-back Champions Trophy titles in 1984, 1985 and 1989, 1990.

With 130 international caps, Reid took to coaching when he was appointed Australia's assistant coach in 2009. He was later elevated to the head coach's position and he guided the Australian team to their fifth consecutive Champions Trophy title in 2012.

Reid was named head coach in 2014 where he contributed to Australian squad's reign as world No.1 team. Under his guidance, Australia won the HWL Semi-Final in Antwerp and went on to win the HWL Final in Raipur the same year.

A member of the Queensland Hockey Hall of Fame, Reid moved to the Netherlands in 2017 to serve as the head coach of Amsterdam Club, which he was part of as a player in 1993 and 1994.

In his recent stint, he worked as the assistant coach for the Netherlands team, who won the silver medal at the 2018 men's World Cup.