4 min readNew DelhiUpdated: May 13, 2026 09:55 PM IST
Former India goalkeeper and double Olympic medalist PR Sreejesh on Wednesday said his stint as coach of the junior men’s hockey team was seemingly coming to an end. The reason, he stated in a post on X, was to make way for a foreign coach.
In his post, he pointed out that his team had reached the podium in all five tournaments, the highlight being the bronze medal finish at the Junior World Cup last year in Tamil Nadu, it had competed during his tenure of one-and-a-half years. “It’s seems like my coaching career comes to an end after 1.5 years, during which we played 5 tournaments and secured 5 podium finishes, including a Junior World Cup bronze medal. I have heard about coaches getting fired after bad performances. But this is the first time I am experiencing being removed to make way for a foreign coach,” Sreejesh wrote.
The reason for his ouster, he believes, is that the senior men’s coach Craig Fulton, wants a foreign counterpart at the junior level, too.
It’s seems like My coaching career comes to an end after 1.5 years, during which we played 5 tournaments and secured 5 podium finishes, including a Junior World Cup bronze medal.
I have heard about coaches getting fired after bad performances.
But this is the first time I am…— sreejesh p r (@16Sreejesh) May 13, 2026
“The Hockey India President stated that the chief coach of the senior men’s team prefers a foreign head coach for the junior team, believing it will help develop Indian hockey from the junior level through to the senior level. Hence, the continued preference for foreign coaches — Can’t Indian coaches develop Indian hockey?” he contended.
HI, though, clarified in a press release that the star goalkeeper was not “fired” but his tenure had ended in December 2025 as per contract. Subsequently, a new appointment was made following a formal selection process. “As per protocol the position was advertised and applicants were shortlisted and finalised as per a proper selection process basis merit. A coach with distinguished qualifications has been selected as a result of this process and will be announced shortly,” HI stated.
Sreejesh, however, recalled a conversation during his meeting with Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya. “I was told, ‘Sreejesh, we need coaches like you to step up and lead our country as we prepare for 2036’. However, Hockey India continues to place its trust in foreign coaches over Indian ones across all four teams,” read Sreejesh’s post.
HI also mentioned that Sreejesh had been offered the role to coach the development team, but he refused. “We have in no terms ‘fired’ Sreejesh and in fact had offered him the position of Coach for the Development team, which plays a critical role for LA 28 and the next olympic cycle as well.”
“This would have furthered his experience and exposure as a coach. However, he did not accept this position despite being asked to reconsider the decision,” it added.
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HI reiterated that it has never told him that Fulton prefers foreign coaches. “In no terms has it ever been conveyed to him that there has been any preference for a foreign coach by the chief coach. We are collectively working towards the vision of our government to build a pathway towards 2036 and a big part of that process is to develop our Indian coaching talent,” the statement read.
“We have in fact aligned Indian coaches to our chief coaches in our training camps to enhance their exposure and skills further. Hockey India remains committed to the growth of Indian hockey and all our decisions are part of a concerted effort to achieve that,” it added.
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