Removing Sreejesh in just 15 months was wrong: Felix (Image: X)
KOLKATA: Former Indian hockey captain Jude Felix slammed Hockey India. PR Srijeshdescribed his exit and removal as “wrong” after barely 15 months in the role.Felix, who took charge of the junior men’s team in 2017, was axed after less than two years despite winning gold at the 2019 Youth Olympic qualifiers, bronze at the 2017 Sultan of Johor Cup and silver at the 2018 edition.Speaking to TOI, Felix said, “If Hockey India chose Sreejesh, it means they believe he is good enough. He may not have experience, but it comes with time. If you appoint someone, you cannot remove him in 15 months.” This is wrong.”The former India assistant coach added, “For someone who has contributed so much, especially in winning two Olympic bronze medals, I would have used him differently. I would have created a factory of goalkeepers under him. Goalkeeping is an important position, and he could have developed a whole generation. Instead, they made him a coach and then removed him.”Hockey India, however, said it has offered Sreejesh the role of development team coach, which has been identified as key to preparations for LA 2028 and the next Olympic cycle.“It would have increased his experience and exposure as a coach. However, he did not accept the post despite being asked to reconsider the decision,” the federation said.Felix also criticized the removal of P Shanmugam from the Indian women’s team before questioning Hockey India’s reliance on foreign coaches and their failure at the grassroots level, echoing concerns raised by Sreejesh in a social media post on Tuesday.“Have foreign coaches gone into the system and made it? No, they’ve worked their way up, got paid, and left,” Felix said.He also pointed out that India has not improved on its fifth position in the World Cup since 1994, which he attributed to a lack of growth despite heavy investment.However, Felix admitted that “we don’t have enough high-level, quality Indian coaches”.“You could say we’ve trained 600 coaches through certification programs. You can also say 1,600. But show me 60 top coaches who understand individual skills, team structure, reform and player development,” asked the Dronacharya awardee.“The problem starts at the bottom. The level of coaching is very average, and it shows at every level.”According to Felix, the solution lies in having the right people to select coaches and implementing an organized, uniform coaching system across the country.“It will take time, but it is possible,” he added, adding, “Coaching is about building a complete player – a forward who can tackle like a defender and a defenseman who can attack. Tomorrow’s hockey.”Finally, Felix maintained that unless grassroots coaching, long-term planning and accountability are prioritized, Indian hockey will continue to struggle despite strong resources.
