'Players were not happy': Fresh claims emerge on Sreejesh exit as junior hockey coach

P R Sreejesh’s stint arsenic India inferior men’s hockey manager has ended aft 17 months, but his exit has present led to questions and differing claims from some the erstwhile goalkeeper and Hockey India.Sreejesh’s declaration ended aft helium guided India to a bronze medal astatine the Junior World Cup held successful Chennai and Madurai past year. He reapplied for the role, but Hockey India did not renew his contract.On Thursday, Hockey India officially appointed Frederic Soyez arsenic the caller inferior men’s squad coach.The federation said determination was thing antithetic astir the determination and maintained that the process was carried retired properly.However, Sreejesh said connected societal media that helium was ignored to marque mode for a overseas manager allegedly preferred by elder men’s manager Craig Fulton.The contented has besides reportedly caused mixed reactions among players.“Some players of the inferior squad were not blessed with Sreejesh's moving style, they couldn't scope him erstwhile needed implicit telephone erstwhile camps were not successful progress,” a root was quoted arsenic saying by quality bureau PTI.

Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey said the determination was portion of a semipermanent program linked to India’s preparations for the 2036 Olympics."We person not fired Sreejesh. His declaration expired successful December 2025 and we followed the owed process of and advertised for the position. He besides applied and applicants were short-listed and finalised arsenic per a due enactment process ground merit," Tirkey said."We ne'er wanted him to travel retired of the coaching programme, we offered him to pb the developmental programme, India A and beyond that.

Besides that we offered him to usher our goalkeepers astatine the nationalist level with his immense experience, but helium refused," helium added."But the doors are ever unfastened for him and different Indian coaches."Sreejesh moved straight from playing to coaching contempt having nary ceremonial coaching acquisition astatine the clip of his appointment.Having played nether respective overseas coaches during his career, including Roelant Oltmans, Terry Walsh, Graham Reid and Craig Fulton, his disapproval of Hockey India’s penchant for a overseas manager has besides drawn attention.Tirkey denied that Fulton had immoderate relation successful the assignment process."We person ne'er conveyed to him that the main manager of the men's squad has fixed a penchant to name a overseas manager for the inferior side. As a federation, we are collectively moving towards the imaginativeness of our authorities to physique a pathway towards 2036 and a large portion of that process is to make our Indian coaching talent."Apart from coaching, Sreejesh is besides the mentor and manager of Hockey India League franchise Delhi SG Pipers.