BHUBANESWAR 25-Dec-2015
Australia Olympian Mark William Hager has been appointed new coach of Bhubaneswar-based Kalinga Lancers for the 4th Hockey India League, schedule to be held from January 18 to February 21, 2016. With 230 caps and 179 goals to his name, Hager has been coaching the New Zealand Women since 2009.
He guided the team to victory at the 2009 Champions Challenge, silver at the 2010 Commonwealth Games, bronze at the 2011 Champions Trophy and this year the team finished a credible fifth at the FIH Hockey World Cup and returned from the Glasgow Commonwealth Games with a bronze.
Hager will succeed Former India mid-fielder Jude Felix, under whose guidance Kalinga Lancers finished fifth in the last edition of the Hockey India League. Earlier in 2013, Australian Terry Walsh was the coach Kalinga Lancers team, which finished at the bottom of the HIL table.
Besides Hager, former India goalkeeper AB Subbaiah has been appointed as team manager. Australian physiologists David Joha will be the new trainer for the team. Odia physiotherapist Mukti Prasad Das and video analysts Ganesh Kar remain unchanged.
