Sacked Cedric: IHF's fall guy?

kuala lumpur: india created history in 1975 by winning the world cup for the first and only time in this city. a quarter of a century later, indian hockey once again entered the history books here, but for all the wrong reasons. after the team''s disastrous performance in the first four big matches in this world cup, the indian hockey federation sacked chief coach cedric d''souza on saturday and has asked assistant coach c r kumar to take over and "handle the situation". the necks of many indian coaches have previously come under the chopping block following disastrous international excursions, but never before has a coach been sacked midway through a tournament. "don''t you see? they were looking for a scapegoat to send to the guillotine after the disastrous showing thus far. and there i was, a readymade victim," cedric said at a press briefing. to rub salt into the wound, he was asked to stay back and assist kumar for the three remaining league matches against cuba, poland and australia. he was also told ''to ease up'', to ''relieve the pressure''. cedric has decided to return home immediately. "it''s very humiliating," he said. he was given the news at midnight. however, ihf president k p s gill said in kolkata that cedric has not been sacked but just told to ''rest''. gill said that he wanted to give the stressed-out cedric a break and since india''s next two matches were against softer opponents, this was the best time for it. "but i think he has taken it in bad spirit, i am sad at these developments," gill said. terming it a ''family arrangement'', ihf secretary-general k jothikumaran also insisted that cedric was not sacked. "it was being done in the interests of the team. we did not ask him to step down. we just wanted him to take it easy." the ihf secretary also hinted that cedric was being defiant. cedric''s retort: "gentlemen, what does it imply? is it not a way of saying that i am not needed. that they have no confidence in me anymore? i have done everything in total unison with the team management. i did what was best for the team."