FILE PICTURE: Austin Smith during the Five Nations Mens Hockey tournament match between South Africa and Germany held at the North West University hockey centre in Potchefstroom, South Africa. Picture: Duif du Toit / Gallo Images
Pereira, a chartered accountant who played 49 Tests for South Africa and has his own accounting practice, said he is down primarily because of the absence of sponsorship.
Lack of funding limited his plans for the team’s preparation ahead of the 2014 World Cup. The team qualified for the global event after successfully competing in the FIH World League Round 2 and semi-finals, as well as the Africa Cup.
SA Hockey Association CEO Marissa Langeni said the national body would be discussing the vacant coaching position at their upcoming Executive Board meeting this weekend and would make an announcement thereafter.
The new coach would have to hit the ground running with a number of immediate commitments in place leading up to the World Cup in The
Hague.
The team travel to Argentina for a Test Match Series in February, play a series against the world’s number-one side Germany in Cape Town in March and then travel to the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Malaysia at the end of April.
– Sapa
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