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Kenya: Veteran Sohal named national hockey coach  x2
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| Africa |
April 16, 2005 
East African Standard, Kenya
> Page Views 4361
By Oscar Pilipili
Veteran Avtar Singh Sohal has been named overall national coach.
Michael Omondi, Manjit Jhite and Anthony Laboso are his assistants.
The appointments were made during the Kenya Hockey Union Coaching Committee meeting in Nairobi on Thursday.
National secretary Peter Kiruma said the mandate of the quartet is to select and prepare national men’s and women’s teams for the Africa Cup of Nations to be held in South Africa in October.
KHU executive community meets on Tuesday to endorse the appointments.
Meanwhile, three foreign companies interested in renovating the City Park Stadium have presented quotations to KHU.
The companies are Forbex from Argentina, EdelGrass of Holland and South Korea’s Kolon Glotech Inc.
Kolon, which sent its quotation on Friday, wants to lay a new astro turf pitch at a cost of US$180,000 (Sh13.5m).
Forbex has offered to complete the work at a cost of US$210,000 (Sh15.7million) with EdelGrass bidding for the tender at US$300,000 (Sh22.5m).
KHU chairman Resham Bains said Forbex had initially quoted US$180,000 but increased the amount by US$40,000 (Sh3m) due to the rising price of oil.
"When prices of oil rises so will the cost of an astro turf because it is a product of petroleum," Bains said.
EdelGrass cost is the highest of all although the company quotes that it would pay for shipment and laying cost.
But Bains insists that the price is still higher as he estimates the shipment cost at US$15,000 (Sh1.1m).
Forbex, on its part, says it would lay the astro turf pitch free of charge but the Argentine company wants KHU to pay for shipment fees.
Bains said the final bidder would be identified next week at a meeting to be attended by officials from the international body and KHU.
He said the price and terms of payment are among things to be considered when picking the best bidder.
According to the chairman, the union’s estimated budget stand at $180,000 (Sh13.5m) with $100,000 (Sh7.5m) of the amount being a grant from the international body.
The Ministry of Sports has pledged $55,000 (Sh4.1m) with KHU raising the balance.
The union will shoulder the burden of levelling the ground in readiness for the laying work among other "miscellaneous" expenditure.
The chairman said the reconstruction work, estimated to last for three months, is set to start next month.
The stadium was closed in November 2003 for re-construction.
The work was to start in January 2004 but the Sri Company of the US that was contracted to lay the System 5 astro turf pitch filed a voluntary bankruptcy back at home.
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Comments on this article
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singh
04-20-2005 2:26 am
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coaches
What criteria do the KHU use to select coaches?
I do not have a problem KHU but my major problem is that how can a Coach take players for International assignements like 3times and fail. I think if one fails with players a new coach should be appointed to try him/her on.
This applies to Michael Omondi who took the mens team to Cairo for a tournament and they were walloped same to when he took the ladies side to Nigeria they too were thwarked infacat they lost to SA 9-0 which has never happened in the ladies side. He has failed as a coach and we should try and fresh blood in the team as a coach.
Someone should pass this message to the new cahirman as we do not want disappointments and failure in the next International assignment.
Please place Kenya where they use to be in the World.
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Patrick
04-23-2005 3:34 pm
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Coach and Player Criteria
I agree with Singh above. I also have another question, how will the coaches selet players? Will it be the same old players who have played for Kenya for years? Yes they are experienced, but we need more than experience, we need fresh skills, and players. How about the multitude of Kenyan players who are not in the country, and have exposure to the one thing kenyan players at home lack, high level hockey leagues, good astro turf playing fields, and more regular and structured leagues. Will KHU look to select all possible players both locally and internationally?
Finally, KHU, get yourselves seen, how do people who would like to contact you get to do that if you do not have a website, or even an email address that is easily available? Do something about the league, and use the services of websites like www.fixs.co.uk, to structure your league logs, and also to follow on other leagues.
Otherwise so far it's better than it has been for a while! Congrats!
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