The two-time Olympic medallist, whose 17-month stint ended after India won bronze at the Junior World Cup, took to social media to directly challenge Hockey India president Dilip Turki’s comments.“When the president of Hockey India offered me a development team, I asked some 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 sanctioned for them? What tournaments are they preparing for? There were no answers to any of these questions,” Srijesh wrote.
Sreejesh questioned the foreign heavy setup
Sreejesh also questioned the federation’s coaching structure, highlighting what he called an increasing reliance on overseas staff.“After winning a Junior World Cup bronze medal as head coach, making me goalkeeper coach again – is that considered a promotion or a demotion?” he asked.He then listed the current setup: four teams, six foreign coaches, three foreign strength and conditioning coaches, one foreign video analyst, two foreign goalkeeper coaches and one foreign sports psychologist.“Fortunately at least we still have an Indian coach in every team,” he said with a gesture.The former goalkeeper also referred to junior and youth pathways, suggesting that the under-18 teams could soon move in the same direction.“Sardar Singh and Rani Rampal are doing a great job, but perhaps the President feels that they are still not experienced or qualified enough to coach Indian teams. So can we expect more foreign coaches there as well?”
Hockey India Defence
Hockey India has denied any bias, insisting that Sreejesh’s contract had expired in December 2025. and that a standard application process was followed. The federation on Thursday appointed Frederick Suez as the junior men’s coach.Turki said that Sreejesh was offered the role of leading the development team and the wider goalkeeping job, but the former star declined.Sreejesh had earlier alleged that senior coach Craig Fulton preferred a foreign coach for the junior team, a claim denied by Hockey India.The exchange has now become one of Indian hockey’s biggest public controversies, with one of its greatest players openly challenging the federation on occasions of Indian coaches.
