'Rahul Dravid is my example' - PR Sreejesh aims to follow Rahul Dravid's path in pursuit of India Hockey team coach role

R Sreejesh, the former Indian hockey goalkeeper, has set his eyes on a new goal, following in the footsteps of cricket legend Rahul Dravid to become a coach for Indian hockey.

With a clear vision and a step-by-step plan, Sreejesh aims to nurture the next generation of hockey stars and potentially lead India as the chief coach at the 2036 Olympics.

Sreejesh, who played a pivotal role in India's bronze medal victories at the Tokyo and the recently concluded Paris Olympics, is now looking to transition from player to mentor. Inspired by Dravid's journey from nurturing young cricket talent to leading the senior Indian cricket team, Sreejesh sees a similar path for himself in hockey. The former goalkeeper's roadmap is both ambitious and well-organized. 

"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 said as quoted by Hindustan Times.

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I want to be the India coach: PR Sreejesh

The approach aligns with Sreejesh's vision of creating a robust feeder system for Indian hockey, ensuring a continuous supply of top-tier talent to the national team. By investing in young players and guiding them through the ranks, Sreejesh hopes to build a formidable team capable of competing at the highest level for years.

"The way I wanted is to 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," he added.

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The 36-year-old's plans of coaching begin at the junior level in 2025. His next mission by 2028 is to build 20-40 young players, followed by more players transitioning from the junior level to the senior level in the coming years. His ultimate goal is to position himself as chief coach by 2032.

"I start this year, next in 2025, we have the junior World Cup and in another two years, the senior team will be playing in the World Cup. So maybe, 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 concluded.