Summary The renowned coach Terry Walsh took over India last year.
NEW DELHI (AP) - India field hockey coach Terry Walsh resigned on Tuesday citing administrative hurdles in his job, within three weeks of guiding the team to the Asian Games gold medal.
"I am finding considerable difficulty adjusting to the decision-making style of the sporting bureaucracy in India which I believe, in the long term, is not in the best interests of Indian hockey or it s players," Walsh wrote in his resignation letter to the Sports Authority of India.
The renowned coach, who represented Australia in four World Cups and three Olympics, took over India last year and raised hopes. Under him, India repeated as a Commonwealth Games finalist in August, and won the Asian Games for the first time in 16 years, qualifying for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
"In addition to my difficulties with not being able to professionally operate within these bureaucratic confines, I am not willing to continue with the constant time away from my family in Australia. My current commitment places too much stress on my personal life," the 60-year-old added.
Hockey India president Narinder Batra, who shared the contents of the resignation letter with the media, said in a separate email that all foreign members of the support staff were unhappy with a tax issue relating to their contracts which he hoped would be worked out soon.
Batra also said he was hoping Walsh can be persuaded to stay on.
"We suggest that SAI have a re-look at his contract before Nov. 19 (when the contract expires) so that he may continue till the Olympics. We suggest for a meeting between SAI and Mr. Walsh," Batra said in a statement.
India is next due to play the Champions Trophy in Bhubhaneswar from Dec. 6-14.
