New Delhi, Two-time Olympic medallist P. R. Sreejesh on Wednesday expressed frustration after his contract as head coach of the India U-21 hockey team was not renewed, alleging that Hockey India was keen on appointing a foreign coach despite the team’s successful run under him.
The former India goalkeeper took to social media platform ‘X’ to question the decision of the sport’s governing body.
“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,” he tweeted.
“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, who won Olympic bronze medals at the 2020 Tokyo and 2024 Paris Games before retiring from international hockey, questioned Hockey India’s apparent preference for overseas coaches.
“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?” said Sreejesh, whose contract had ended in December last year and who had reapplied for the position.
“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.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
