PR Sreejesh has raised serious questions over Hockey India’s functioning after his controversial exit from the junior men’s team setup. The former India goalkeeper criticised the lack of clarity surrounding the federation’s proposed development team, saying there was no defined structure, player pool or tournament roadmap in place.
Earlier, the Indian legend had slammed Hockey India’s growing dependence on foreign coaches and claimed he was removed despite delivering strong results during his 18-month stint.
In another social media post, Sreejesh also questioned whether being offered a goalkeeper-coach role after guiding the junior side to a Junior World Cup bronze medal should be seen as a promotion or demotion. His remarks have sparked fresh debate over the federation’s long-term vision and coaching policies.
“When the Hockey India president offered me the ‘development team’, I asked a few simple questions: Do we really have a development team? Who are the players in this development group? What is the structure of the program? What camps are approved for them? What tournaments are they preparing for?” Sreejesh wrote.
“There were no answers to any of these questions. And about goalkeeper coaching after winning a Junior World Cup bronze medal as chief coach, making me a goalkeeper coach again, is that considered a promotion or a demotion?”
‘LUCKY TO HAVE ONE INDIAN COACH’
Sreejesh raised concerns over the growing dependence on foreign coaches in Indian hockey, questioning the lack of opportunities for former stars like Sardar Singh and Rani Rampal despite their contributions to the sport.
“4 teams. 6 foreign coaches. 3 foreign strength & conditioning coaches. 1 foreign video analyst. 2 foreign goalkeeper coaches (visiting). 1 foreign sports psychologist (visiting). Lucky that at least we still have 1 Indian coach in each team (as per the hockey india app). Junior team is already taken. Maybe now it’s time for U18 too,” Sreejesh wrote.
“Sardar Singh and Rani Rampal are doing a great job, but maybe the president feels they are still ‘not experienced enough’ or ‘qualified enough’ to coach Indian teams. So can we expect more foreign coaches there as well?” Sreejesh added.
HOCKEY INDIA DENIES SREEJESH’S CLAIMS
Hockey India rejected claims that Sreejesh was sidelined unfairly, stressing that developing Indian coaches remains a key priority. The federation insisted that Sreejesh was neither removed nor replaced due to a preference for a foreign coach, claiming instead that his contract had ended and that he declined an alternative developmental coaching role offered to him.
Hockey India also stated that its coaching pathway programme has certified over 600 homegrown coaches and added that Indian coaches regularly work alongside foreign coaches during national camps to enhance their exposure and skills.
HOW DID SREEJESH PERFORM AS COACH?
Sreejesh enjoyed a highly successful stint as India junior men’s hockey coach despite being in charge for only one and a half years. Under his guidance, the team finished on the podium in all five tournaments they played. India won gold at the Men’s Junior Asia Cup and secured bronze medals at both the Sultan of Johor Cup and the FIH Junior Men’s World Cup.
Sreejesh also earned praise for his strong connection with young players and for bringing fresh international insights into the setup soon after retiring from elite hockey. His calm leadership and modern approach quickly made him one of India’s most promising young coaches.
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