Sreejesh hits back at Hockey India president: Offering goalkeeping coach role after Jr World Cup medal — a promotion or demotion?

PR Sreejesh hit out at Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey on Thursday a day after revealing that his contract was not renewed as the junior men’s team coach.

Sreejesh, who was handed charge of the junior men’s side soon after his retirement post Paris Olympics, had been without a contract since December 2025. India won bronze playing at home, its first medal since the 2016 title triumph.

While Hockey India clarified stating that Sreejesh was offered the position of coach for the Development team, Sreejesh has responded stating there was no clarity on the role.

READ | Sreejesh questions whether Indian coaches not good enough after contract not renewed

“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?

“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?” Sreejesh posted on his X account.

Sreejesh once again raised the issue of the reducing influence of Indian coaches in the Indian hockey set-up.

“4 teams. 6 foreign coaches. 3 foreign strength & conditioning coaches. 1 foreign video analyst. 2 foreign goalkeeper coaches (visiting). 1 foreign sports psychologist (visiting).

“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,” he pondered, while adding, “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?”

Published on May 14, 2026