New Delhi. In honor of goalkeeper PR Sreejesh, who played a key role in India’s second consecutive bronze medal in hockey at the Paris Olympics, Hockey India has decided to retire his jersey number 16. However, jersey number 16 will still be available for junior players.
Hockey India secretary general Bhola Nath Singh said that 36-year-old Sreejesh will be the junior national coach while retiring the jersey during a ceremony to honour the legendary goalkeeper. Singh also made it clear that Sreejesh will groom the next Sreejesh in the junior team, who will wear jersey number 16.
Sreejesh, a long-time hero for India, has set a deadline of eight years for himself before considering the role of national team coach. He also expressed his ambition to lead India as a coach at the 2036 Olympics.
Sreejesh said, “I want to become a coach. This was always my plan, but now the question is when. After retirement, family comes first. I have to talk to them if they are ready for this. Now you have to listen to your wife a little.”
He said, “I wanted to start with the junior players and Rahul Dravid is an example of this. It is like you prepare many players, bring them to the senior team and let them follow you.”
He said that I will start from this year, next year there will be a Junior World Cup in 2025 and in the next two years the senior team will play the World Cup. So maybe by 2028 I will be able to prepare 20 or 40 players and by 2029 I will be able to prepare 15-20 players in the senior team and by 2030 I will be able to prepare about 30-35 players in the senior team.
Sreejesh said, and by 2032 I will be ready for the post of head coach. If India gets the hosting of 2036 Olympic Games, then I would like to become the coach of India.