Craig Fulton, the chief coach of the Indian men’s hockey team, has asked for belief in the national squad and not slam it for finishing eighth out of nine teams in the recently concluded FIH Pro League.
In a conversation with Olympics.com at the Sports Authority of India’s regional centre in Bengaluru, Fulton admitted there were lapses in India’s performance in the second leg of the FIH Pro League in Europe. India lost seven matches on-the-trot, in a horror streak where they let in 23 goals and scored 14.
“We have to be honest about our performances. We were not consistent enough. We tried a different set of tactics in Bhubaneswar and in Europe. We are building and it’s not like we are a finished outfit. I always have this conversation with whoever asks about our results and where we are in the programme.
“If it was about the FIH Pro League, then judge us on that but it’s not that, it’s about qualifying for the 2026 Hockey World Cup and it’s about winning the Asian Games. So that’s where we are in the bigger picture,” said Fulton.
South African Fulton, who saw the Indian men’s hockey team retain the Olympics bronze at Paris 2024, said the period after the Summer Games was tough but the team has been evolving since new faces have joined the core group.
“We had a tough time after Paris. We played a tournament three weeks after the Games and we had injuries. We have given a lot of opportunities for players to join the training squad. Then we had the Hockey India League and then the Pro League in Bhubaneswar. We got about 29 players in the tournament and it is good to have new faces in the group.
“There have been lots of changes… and the only constant is change. The squad is evolving and by bringing in more players we are trying to create more depth for LA 2028. We have a really good core. We have a big tournament like the Asia Cup where we want to qualify for the World Cup and then we have to focus on the Asian Games where we want to be Asia No. 1,” said Fulton.
Fulton admitted that the Indian hockey team could not carry the home-phase momentum into the European leg of the FIH Pro League. Five of the six wins that India scored came at home.
The only win in the European leg was in the last match against Belgium where skipper Harmanpreet Singh returned after a five-match layoff due to an injury. India lost 10 matches, scored 34 goals and conceded 38 to finish with a goal-difference of minus four.
“I have a bit of mixed feelings. We went there to qualify for the World Cup next year but result-wise, we were not good. We were competitive and lost close matches and we were just not consistent,” said Fulton.
Like skipper Harmanpreet Singh, Fulton pointed out that conceding soft goals hurt. Did India miss the solidity of PR Sreejesh at goal? Fulton feels that while defence is crucial, the team must have the ability to score.
“We were not the most proficient team in terms of scoring goals. If we are not scoring and still conceding, then there is a problem and that’s what shows,” Fulton added.
Looking at the bigger picture, Fulton is focusing on the upcoming Asia Cup in Rajgir, Bihar, from August 27 to September 7. Victory here will give India a berth in the World Cup next year. “The team is proud and happy to play at home. Plus, we will have the ‘extra man’ in the crowd,” said the coach.