Two-time Olympic medallist PR Sreejesh has voiced his disappointment with India’s performances within the FIH Professional League, saying successive eighth-place finishes during the last two seasons mirror a worrying decline in requirements.
“I’m not towards Indian hockey. I’m disenchanted as a result of I care,” Sreejesh wrote in a submit on X (previously Twitter). “My hockey data could also be restricted, and that is simply my opinion. (Armchair coaches, you’ll be able to skip this.) The final two FIH Professional League seasons have uncovered the fact—we completed eighth. If not for Eire and Pakistan, the standings may have appeared even worse. Don’t inform me that we are attempting new gamers or we’re making use of new technique’s.”
Within the 2023-24 season, when Sreejesh was nonetheless an lively participant, India completed seventh within the Professional League. On the Paris Olympics that adopted, the Craig Fulton-coached aspect went on to win the bronze medal.
I’m not towards Indian hockey. I’m disenchanted as a result of I care.
My hockey data could also be restricted, and that is simply my opinion. (Armchair coaches, you’ll be able to skip this.)
The final two FIH Professional League seasons have uncovered the fact—we completed eighth. If not for Eire and Pakistan,… pic.twitter.com/ewaL8p4Obe
— sreejesh p r (@16Sreejesh) July 2, 2026
The previous India goalkeeper’s feedback come days after he publicly criticised Hockey India for changing him as junior males’s head coach with embellished French coach Frederic Soyez as an alternative of extending his tenure. Beneath Sreejesh, India gained the bronze medal on the Junior Males’s Hockey World Cup.
In his newest submit, Sreejesh argued that India’s current continental titles shouldn’t masks its struggles towards the world’s prime groups. “Sure, we gained the Asian Champions Trophy and the Asia Cup. Congratulations to the crew. However let’s be trustworthy: these tournaments are not the benchmark for judging the place Indian hockey stands globally. Now the same old rationalization will probably be: ‘We’re specializing in the Asian Video games as a result of it’s the Olympic qualifier.’ That’s comprehensible, however the Professional League desk doesn’t lie. It confirmed precisely the place we stand towards the world’s greatest. Our junior crew can beat Pakistan, it additionally reveals the hole between India and the remainder of Asia. Successful Asian tournaments is predicted. The actual problem is persistently competing with the highest groups on the earth,” he mentioned.
The 38-year-old additionally questioned whether or not the funding in a overseas head coach has been value it. “So right here’s the query: are we spending Are we spending €24,286 ( roughly Rs 25 Lakhs) a month on a overseas chief coach simply to dominate Asian competitions? Or are we investing to turn into a real medal contender on the World Cup, Professional League, and Olympics? Being glad with regional success whereas struggling towards the world’s elite shouldn’t be the usual for Indian hockey,” he added.
