Speaking to The Indian Express, D'Souza said that IHF president KPS Gill has granted him permission to travel to Kuala Lumpur for the assignment.

The development effectively quashes rumours about D'Souza's return as National coach. His role as a mediaman rules him out as a candidate for the job rumours of which gained intensity after India's debacle in the Utrecht World Cup in May under Vasudeva Bhaskaran.

D'Souza guided India to the 1996 Atlanta Olympics where India finished eighth. After resigning shortly later, D'Souza accepted the post of IHF Executive Director.

His role thereafter has been somewhat obscure. He was not present at the Junior World Cup at Milton Keynes in September 1997 nor was he summoned by theIHF to travel to Utrecht, where India's men's and women's teams took part in the double World Cup.

The coach's obscurity has perplexed the rest of the hockey world, including the International Hockey Federation (FIH), which holds D'Souza's coaching credentials in high esteem. Many overseas coaches, including the legendary Germans Horst Wein and Paul Lissek, have time and again expressed their opinion that D'Souza is the best coach in India.

Despite the country's disappointing standing at the last Olympics, D'Souza's services are not short of takers abroad.

It is believed that Bangladesh are interested in utilising his services as do a couple of European clubs.

The IHF are to announce the coach for the Commonwealth Games during the MCC Murugappa Gold Cup in progress at Chennai. The tournament also serves as a basis of selecting the national team. D'Souza is on the selection panel -- his first tangible role after being appointed Executive Director almost two years ago. Others on the panel are OlympianAshok Kumar, Haripal Kaushik and Balkar Singh.

IHF secretary K Jothikumaran, speaking recently to this newspaper, ruled out the possibility of a foreign coach taking over the reins until next year. He clarified, in the process, the role of Ric Aggiss, former Australian national men's coach who is scheduled to be in Chennai during the tournament.

Contrary to reports in a Chennai-based newspaper that Aggiss is tipped to take over the job from Bhaskaran, Jothikumaran informed that the Australian's visit to India only concerns an innovative nine-a-side international tournament at Kuala Lumpur which he will help organise.

In the meantime, it is widely expected that Bhaskaran will be retained as National coach until the Bangkok Asian Games in December.