Craig Fulton Outlines LA Olympics 2028 Rebuild Plan; Implementation Set To Start Post-Hockey India League

India’s men’s hockey team defended its Asian Games crown for the first time in the sport’s history, beating Malaysia 5-1 in the final at Aichi-Nagoya two days ago and sealing direct qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

The Harmanpreet Singh-led side’s back-to-back gold has given Craig Fulton, head coach of the Indian men’s national team, an early platform for the next cycle. Speaking exclusively to SAI Media, Fulton said that LA 2028 is closer than it looks and that, once the Hockey India League (HIL) gets over, he will have to build a new team afresh with more young players alongside the current core.

That makes the title bigger than one result. It secured India’s fifth men’s hockey gold at the Asian Games and opened the next phase of planning, with Fulton focusing on scheduling, selection and how to blend youth with experience after the HIL break.

Squad Rebuild Plans

Fulton’s next task is clear. He wants the preparation for LA 2028 mapped well in advance.

“LA 2028 is within two years. It seems a long way off, but it obviously comes around pretty quick. I think at the moment we’re just trying to get the right schedule, the right planning in place, the big blocks of what is the preparation like, two years out, one year out, six months out, and plan accordingly to that. Yeah, I think every team has its phases at and flows with experience and youth. We have a good group of experienced players with us now,” Fulton told SAI Media.

The 51-year-old coach said the talent pool below the senior side gives India room to refresh the team. “We have some youth, but we have a lot of youth in the Indian A team and a strong Under-21 team as well, which is great. So in the next two-three months, I think just post the Hockey India League, we’ll have a look at all the talent that we have, choose new squad, and start afresh from there,” he added.

Historic Gold Run

The latest title is India’s fifth men’s hockey gold at the Asian Games. The earlier wins came in Bangkok in 1966 and 1998, Incheon in 2014 and Hangzhou in 2022.

Fulton also brings his own Olympic background to the role. He represented South Africa at the 1996 and 2004 Summer Olympic Games.

Defending the title meant more to him because of the contrast with Hangzhou. “Personally, this Asian Games was very unique. It was very different to the last Asian Games as we were isolated out here in a sense of away from the other events and athletes. There was no so-called Games Village. But at the same time, we had our own routine. We went to the field, we played, we came back, and everything is the same. But Hangzhou, being the first gold medal, was very special. But to come back and defend it back-to-back golds is always special,” he said.

Pakistan Semi-final

The semi-final tested India hardest. They edged Pakistan 4-3 at the Gifu Prefectural Green Stadium after almost letting a commanding lead slip.

India surged 3-0 ahead through Harmanpreet Singh in the 5th and 13th minutes and Sukhjeet Singh in the 23rd. Pakistan hit back through Abu Mahmood in the 30th minute, Hannan Shahid in the 45th and Waheed Rana in the 49th to draw level at 3-3.

Abhishek then struck in the final minute to send India into the men’s final. Fulton said the match followed the plan only up to a point. “Everything did go according to plan. We had a really good first half, and then the third quarter was difficult. Pakistan is that team that if you give them any free opportunities, they take them and they are a great team, and they showed that. They came back nicely and put us under a lot of pressure from 3-0 to 3-all. We still had some good chances in that period, but we couldn’t finish, we couldn’t score. And found a way in the last minute to do so and to get the fourth goal, which helped us make the final,” he said.

Support And Impact

The gold sweep carried wider significance. It was the first time India’s men’s and women’s hockey teams both won gold at the same Asian Games.

It was also only the third Indian team sport to deliver a double gold finish at Aichi-Nagoya after kabaddi and cricket. Behind that result was Sports Authority of India support worth INR 77.8 crore for the men’s and women’s teams, covering national coaching camps, international competition exposure, foreign coach remuneration and equipment, among other areas.

Fulton linked that support to the recent results and India’s larger ambition. “I think the government is our biggest supporter in terms of the resources and the funds that they put forward to helping the grassroots programs all the way through to the 18s, 21s, seniors. Without them, obviously, I don't know what would happen if they didn't put as much support and resources around. But at the same time, by doing that the girls stand on the podium winning gold for the first time in 44 years. And we're fortunate enough to go back to back. Yes, that's domination in Asia.

“We obviously want to do that on the world stage. And the women had a fantastic World Cup, and the men obviously had a fantastic Paris. So the balance is there. The resources are there. But the main thing is we just got to keep pushing forward to find the talent and expose it on the international platform,” he said.