Legendary goalkeeper PR Sreejesh who retired with a bronze medal at Paris Olympics 2024 is set to take up the coaching role for the junior men's team. While Sreejesh is yet to reveal when he will be seen on the sidelines devising strategies for the young brigade, he aspires to do what former head coach Rahul Dravid did for the Under-19 team.
"I want to become a coach. That was always my plan but now there is a question of when. After retirement, family comes first. I need to talk with them if they are OK with this. Now you have to listen to your wife a little bit," Sreejesh told PTI editors on August 13.
"The way I wanted is start with the juniors, and Rahul Dravid is an example. It's like you develop a bunch of players, get them into the senior team and let them follow you."
Sreejesh’s elaborate fans for the next decade and more
Sreejesh aims to make big changes ahead of the junior World Cup. By Los Angeles Olympics 2028, he wants to create a pool of players for the senior side. He sees himself becoming the senior team’s head coach and wishes to be with them if India host the 2036 Olympic Games.
"I start this year, next in 2025, we have the junior World Cup and in another two years, the senior team will be playing the World Cup. So may be, by 2028, I can produce 20 or 40 players and by 2029, I can have 15-20 players into the senior team and by 2030 almost like 30-35 players in the senior side.
"And 2032, I will be ready for the chief coach's position. If India gets to host the 2036 Olympic Games, I want to be the India coach," Sreejesh chalked out his plan.
Sreejesh bids goodbye to stellar career
In the Paris Olympics 2024, Sreejesh could not convert the bronze medal into silver or gold medal. He was sensational in Paris pulling off multiple saves for the team, standing like ‘The Wall’ while they struggled to score off penalty corners. He bid goodbye to his 18-year-old career as India beat Spain 3-2 in the bronze medal match. This was the second time Indian hockey team has won two consecutive bronze medal at the Olympics. They achieved the feat in 1968 and 1972 edition of the Olympics.
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