India head coach Graham Reid has taken responsibility for not pushing for a mental conditioning coach for the team before the FIH Men’s World Cup began. India, the hosts, had a disappointing campaign as they failed to reach even the quarter finals.

“Being in a home World Cup does bring extra pressure. Sometimes that’s difficult to process. So that was my thought process... I did not really think it (mental conditioning coach) was needed at that point. I thought I had enough experience to be able to impart the sort of stuff we have been talking about,” Reid said on Thursday, after India’s 8-0 win over Japan in a classification match.

Reid added: “... it was always like when do we start that process (of having a mental conditioning coach) and then it did not happen. I take responsibility for that (for not having a mental conditioning coach).”

The coach also said that the mental conditioning coach will have to be an Indian for the best results.

“It is a big thing to have trust in your team, within the coaching group. I also need to feel we can trust that person and we need it to be the right person. I think it needs to be an Indian,” the Australian said.

India play South Africa on Saturday in the 9th to 12th place classification match.