New Delhi, Sept. 22: Delhi Daredevils coach Greg Shipperd’s case is a curious one. While the overseas Indian Premier League players caught between their home teams and lucrative IPL contracts ahead of next month’s Champions League tournament were spared the loyalty test with a last-minute compensation clause, no such provision was made for the support staff.

Having led the Indian Premier League side to the semifinals in both editions of the Twenty20 event, the Aussie will find himself on the opposition bench when the Daredevils take on Victoria Bushrangers here on October 9. The Delhi side will be led by their assistant coach David Saker, confirmed the franchise.

The choice to lead his home team was an "awkward" one, reckons Shipperd. "Yeah, I was caught in a dilemma between the heart and mind. The heart wanted me to lead Victoria and the mind told me to be there for Delhi. (Dirk) Nannes had it so easy," Shipperd told this newspaper on Tuesday.

The decision was as good as made for Nannes, who opted to play for the Daredevils after Victoria were assured $200,000 in compensation, according to the new laws issued by the IPL governing body earlier this month.

The IPL teams who weren’t willing to shell out the compensation money had to let the overseas player appear for their home team.

Shipperd, though, had to rely on history to make his decision. "I was the assistant coach at Victoria, when our chief coach David Hookes was killed in a bar brawl in 2004. He was a great friend, and it was my moral responsibility to continue his good work. Two months after his death, Victoria lifted their first Pura Cup title since 1990. It was an emotional time for me, and now that I come to think about it, it (the decision) wasn’t hard," said the 52-year-old.

The Daredevils officials said they understood Shipperd’s decision and had no qualms about appointing Saker in his place. Saker, incidentally, is also the assistant coach to Victoria Bushrangers.

"We can understand his position. We would have of course wanted him — he also recommended Gautam Gambhir replace Virender Sehwag as the side’s captain — but in the end it was his and Victoria’s decision," said a Daredevils official.

"We are a professional side, packed with talent, so we don’t expect any major impact from his absence," he added.

Shipperd said he would continue to provide assistance to the Daredevils whenever possible, and probably share a few beers with the side if they beat Victoria. "I don’t know who will win, but I will sit with my Daredevils mates after the end of the match and enjoy a few beers," he said, before adding: "I can only hope that they understand that I had to follow my heart."