Dhanraj says he'll retire after Busan Asiad

Mercurial hockey centre-forward Dhanraj Pillay says he will call it a day after September's Busan Asian Games, where India will defend the crown it won at the last Asiad in Bangkok.

Pillay, who had twice [after the Sydney Olympics and the World Cup in Kuala Lumpur earlier this year] announced his decision to retire from competitive hockey but changed his mind later, said the coming Asiad would be his last international outing for India though he would continue playing for his new employers, Indian Airlines.

"I would like to retire happily, without any regrets, after the coming Asian Games in Korea," he said, adding he may also play abroad.

"I am still receiving offers from clubs, especially European clubs, asking me to play for their teams... but let's see," he informed.

The 32-year-old, who made his international debut in the 1989 Asia Cup in Delhi and won an Asian Games gold medal as captain, the Arjuna award and the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, said after retiring he would concentrate on his hockey academy in Mumbai.

"The academy is moving on the right path. I can devote my full time and concentrate on the academy only after I retire from competitive hockey," he added.

The triple Olympian [1992 Barcelona, 1996 - Atlanta, 2000- Sydney], who had harsh words for former coach Cedric D'Souza's style of functioning at the Kuala Lumpur World Cup, was all praise for new India chief coach Rajinder Singh.

"His [Rajinder's] style of coaching and formation for competitive matches suits me. I am comfortable in a 5-3-1-1 system adapted by the chief coach, as I can play as centre-forward and shuffle as right inside," he said.