Dutchman Sjoerd Marijne reappointed as chief coach of Indian women’s hockey team

Dutchman Sjoerd Marijne was connected Friday (January 2, 2026) reappointed arsenic the main manager of the Indian women’s hockey team, marking his instrumentality to the set-up aft guiding the broadside to a historical fourth-place decorativeness astatine the Tokyo Olympic Games.

The 51-year-old, who was associated with the Indian women’s squad from 2017 to 2021, volition beryllium supported by Matias Vila arsenic analytical coach.

Vila, a erstwhile Argentina midfielder, made his planetary debut successful 1997 and represented his state astatine the 2000 Sydney Olympics and the 2004 Athens Olympics. He has been progressive successful coaching for implicit 2 decades.

Also returning to the Indian hockey set-up is Wayne Lombard, who volition service arsenic technological advisor and caput of diversion performance. He volition beryllium supported by Rodet Yila and Ciara Yila, some successful the relation of technological advisor.

"It’s large to beryllium back. After 4.5 years, I instrumentality with caller vigor and a wide imaginativeness to enactment the team’s maturation and assistance the players execute their afloat imaginable connected the satellite stage,” said Marijne, nether whose tenure India broke into the apical 10 of the satellite rankings, successful a release.

Marijne's archetypal large situation arsenic main manager volition beryllium the Women's World Cup Qualifiers successful Hyderabad, Telangana from March 8 to 14.

Marijne volition get successful India connected January 14, portion the National Coaching Camp begins connected January 19 successful SAI, Bengaluru.

"We invited Sjoerd Marijne, and the full enactment unit to the Indian Hockey family," Hockey India President Dr Dilip Tirkey said.

"We widen our gratitude to the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) and Sports Authority of India (SAI) for expediting the assignment successful bid to guarantee the team's preparations for the upcoming World Cup Qualifiers is not hampered."

"Emphasis has a been laid connected fittingness of the squad which was 1 of the cardinal reasons for Indian Women's historical show successful Tokyo. We look guardant to a fruitful stint," helium added.