Having spent time with the women’s team camp in Lucknow, Charlesworth had some good words for the girls, but kept a realistic tone on their chances of Olympic qualification.

“The girls have been in fine form. Playing conditions in Kazan will be quite cold and I guess their task will be a lot tougher as they don’t know much about Belgium, France and the Netherlands. Besides, getting past the United States will also be a difficult task. I believe it will be commendable if they qualify.”

But the recent pace of decision-making by the IHF has left him bitter. “A lot of things have happened over the past four months. It has been unfair as there are a lot of things to be sorted out in Indian hockey. It will be April soon and I don’t have an office in India. I need a base in India to operate; I have luggage in Chennai, luggage in Lucknow, luggage in Delhi and luggage in Chandigarh. I still haven’t got any support staff. Maybe India was not ready for me,” he rues.