‘Promotion or demotion…?’ Sreejesh raises concern over Hockey India coaching role

NEW DELHI: Former India goalkeeper and two-time Olympic bronze medallist PR Sreejesh has raised questions over Hockey India’s decisions about coaching structure and proposed “development team”

In a post on X, Sreejesh said he was approached by the Hockey India president regarding a “development team,” but claimed several questions about its structure and functioning have been unanswered so far.

“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.

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…

— sreejesh p r (@16Sreejesh) May 14, 2026

“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? he asked.

Sreejesh further highlighted the presence of foreign coaches and support staff in the national structure, listing multiple roles including strength and conditioning experts, video analysts, goalkeeper coaches, and a sports psychologist. “4 teams. 6 foreign coaches. 3 foreign strength & conditioning coaches. 1 foreign video analyst. 2 foreign goalkeeper coaches (visiting). 1 foreign sports psychologist (visiting),” Sreejesh said.

He also pointed out that only one Indian coach is currently part of each team setup, as per the Hockey India app. “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.

Referring to senior figures like Sardar Singh and Rani Rampal, Sreejesh said they were doing well but questioned whether they would continue to be considered “not experienced enough” for top coaching responsibilities. “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?” he asked.

Sreejesh remarks came after Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey on Wednesday said that former Indian goalkeeper PR Sreejesh was not “fired” from his role as coach of the India men’s junior hockey team, clarifying that his coaching tenure concluded contractually in December 2025.

Tirkey’s statement came after two-time Olympic bronze medallist, in an X post, alleged that his tenure as coach of the India men’s junior hockey team has come to an end as Hockey India decided to make way for a foreign coach. Responding to the allegations, Tirkey said Sreejesh’s coaching term had ended as per the terms of his contract and that Hockey India subsequently followed a formal recruitment process to appoint a new coach. (ANI)