'Getting Fired...': PR Sreejesh Questions Hockey India's Preference For Foreign Coaches In Emotional Social Media Post
· Free Press Journal
Indian hockey legend PR Sreejesh shared an emotional social media post raising questions over Hockey India's continued preference for foreign coaches on Wednesday. Sreejesh, who was appointed coach of the Indian junior men's hockey team after the 2024 Olympics, hinted that he was being removed from the role to make way for a foreign coach despite impressive results during his tenure. Under his guidance, the Indian junior team secured podium finished in five tournament, including a bronze medal at the Junior World Cup.
Sreejesh said that his coaching journey appeared to be ending after just one and a half years despite consistent success with the team. He stated that while coaches are usually removed after poor performances, this was the first time he was witnessing a coach being replaced to accommodate a foreign appointment.
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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.
— sreejesh p r (@16Sreejesh) May 13, 2026
I have heard about coaches getting fired after bad performances.
But this is the first time I am…
The former India goalkeeper also revealed that the Hockey India President had informed that the chief coach of the senior men's team preferred a foreign head coach for the junior side. He said that the reason given was that a foreign coach would help create a stronger pathway for Indian hockey players from the junior level to the senior team.
Sreejesh questioned whether Indian coaches were not capable of developing Indian hockey. He further recalled a meeting with Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on March 17, 2026 where he was reportedly told that Indian needed coaches like him to help prepare the country for the 2036 Olympics. However, he pointed out that Hockey Indian continues to trust foreign coaches across all four national teams.
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PR Sreejesh's Social Media Post
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.
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.
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?
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.