PR Sreejesh has openly criticised Hockey India after confirming that his tenure as coach of the Indian junior men’s hockey team has come to an end.
In a strongly-worded social media statement posted on May 13, the Indian hockey great claimed he was removed despite producing consistent results and alleged that the federation chose to bring in a foreign coach instead. Sreejesh, who was widely viewed as one of India’s most promising long-term coaching prospects after retirement, expressed disappointment over the abrupt end to his stint after just 18 months in charge.
“It seems like my coaching career comes to an end after 1.5 years, during which we played five tournaments and secured five podium finishes, including a Junior World Cup bronze medal,” Sreejesh wrote. The former India goalkeeper then alleged that he had effectively been pushed aside to accommodate an overseas appointment.
“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,” he added. According to Sreejesh, the decision was linked to the preferences of the current senior men’s team management.
“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,” he said. The remarks quickly sparked debate within Indian hockey, especially because of Sreejesh’s stature in the sport and the success he achieved during his short coaching spell.
Under his guidance, the junior men’s side secured podium finishes in all five tournaments they played, including gold at the Men’s Junior Asia Cup, bronze at the Sultan of Johor Cup and bronze at the FIH Junior Men’s World Cup.
‘Can’t Indian coaches develop Indian hockey?’
Sreejesh also questioned why Indian hockey continues to rely heavily on foreign coaches despite having experienced former players capable of taking up major coaching roles. “Can’t Indian coaches develop Indian hockey?” he asked in his statement.
He further revealed that Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya had personally encouraged him earlier this year to pursue bigger coaching responsibilities as India builds toward the 2036 Olympics. “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,’” he wrote.
However, Sreejesh contrasted that encouragement with what he described as Hockey India’s continued preference for overseas coaches. “However, Hockey India continues to place its trust in foreign coaches over Indian ones across all four teams,” he added.
The development has once again raised questions about Hockey India’s long-term vision regarding the development of Indian coaches at the elite level. Apart from the results, Sreejesh had earned praise for his ability to connect with young players and bring modern international experience into the junior setup, having only recently retired from top-level hockey himself.
Widely regarded as one of the greatest goalkeepers in Indian hockey history, Sreejesh played a key role in India’s rise on the global stage over the past decade, including multiple Olympic medal-winning campaigns. His transition into coaching was seen by many as an important step toward strengthening India’s future coaching structure.
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