NEW DELHI, May 13: Former India goalkeeper and junior men’s team coach PR Sreejesh on Wednesday publicly expressed his frustration over being removed from his role after just 17 months, questioning Hockey India’s preference for foreign coaches despite his successful stint.
In a strongly-worded social media post, Sreejesh said that his tenure was brought to an end despite winning five medals in as many tournaments during his tenure which ended after the junior World Cup in November-December last year.
Hockey India chose to advertise the post instead of extending Sreejesh’s contract. He had re-applied for the job after first getting the position in August 2024.
“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,” Sreejesh posted on X.
“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.”
The 38 year-old Sreejesh, one of India’s greatest goal keepers, questioned Hockey India’s apparent preference for overseas coaches.
He had won Olympic bronze medals at the 2020 Tokyo and 2024 Paris Games before retiring from international hockey.
“The Hockey India President stated that the chief coach of the senior men’s team (Craig Fulton) 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?,” said Sreejesh.
“On 07-03-2026, during a meeting with the Hon’ble Sports Minister Shri 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.” During his tenure with the under-21 side, India reached the final of the Sultan of Johor Cup, won bronze at the Junior World Cup on home soil and clinched the gold medal at the Men’s Junior Asia Cup 2024 in Muscat. (PTI)
