Sreejesh slams Hockey India, chief coach after removal as junior coach

Twenty-one months later, all that goodwill has come crashing down. In a strongly worded social media post on Wednesday, Sreejesh announced that his contract as junior coach has not been renewed. This, he said, was despite the team finishing on the podium under him many times and to select a foreign coach in the role, which he alleged was on the recommendation of the senior coach, South African Craig Fulton.

“It 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,” the 38-year-old said on X. “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 Khel Ratna awardee’s first assignment as coach was the Sultan of Johor Cup in October 2024 where India took bronze. India then claimed the Junior Asia Cup gold that December. Sreejesh’s boys returned with silver from the Sultan of Johor Cup in October 2025 before claiming the Junior World Cup bronze in December 2025.