Here’s what India men’s head coach Craig Fulton took away from the recent Nationals
Indian men’s hockey team head coach said he was happy with the depth of talent he witnessed among the top four teams in the recently concluded Senior Men’s National Championships in Jhansi but conceded that the talent level dipped beyond that.
Punjad, domestic powerhouses led two-time Olympic bronze medall Hardik Singh and filled with international stars, reclaimed the title defeating a plucky Madhya Pradesh side. Uttar Pradesh won bronze beating Manipur. “There’s good depth—particularly in goalkeeping and across the board, which was great to see. It was also encouraging to spot players who haven’t featured in the league before,” Fulton was quoted as saying Hockey India.
India’s last international assignment was the home FIH Pro League. Next a training camp with 54 probables is scheduled soon, from which a core group of 40 players will be selected. “We’ve been speaking about creating depth for a while now. The next 18 months are crucial in building a squad with sufficient bench strength,” Fulton explained. The former South African international also acknowledged a need for improvement in scoring field goals and handling various tactical scenarios. “
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“We looked at individuals, of course, but also how they operated within their team’s tactical framework. The biggest attribute we assessed was defense—both one-on-one and group defense. We want players who can move the ball effectively against both man-to-man and zonal defenses, press intelligently, and outlet under pressure,” he stated. “Versatility isn’t the main focus—it’s more about athleticism, game awareness, and the ability to quickly adapt to new tactics.”
In a crucial year with the FIH Men’s World Cup qualification at stake during the upcoming Asia Cup in Rajgir, Hockey India had invited legendary former Australian forward and striker’s coach Michael McCann for a camp in Bhubaneswar between 6th to 12th February to work on field goal conversions. That continues to be a focus area for Fulton.
