Indian men’s hockey team head coach Craig Fulton has urged fans to continue having faith in the national side, saying that the Men in Blue are focused on the “bigger picture” of qualifying for the Hockey World Cup 2026 and winning the Asian Games.
In an interview with Olympics.com at the Sports Authority of India centre in Bengaluru, Fulton discussed the Indian team’s lack of good performance in the FIH Pro League, where they finished eighth out of nine teams. This included a seven-match losing streak in the European leg.
“We have to be honest about our performances. We were not consistent enough. We tried a different set of tactics in Bhubaneswar and in Europe,” Fulton said. “We are building, and it’s not like we are a finished outfit. I always have this conversation with whoever asks about our results and where we are in the programme.”
“If it was about the FIH Pro League, then judge us on that but it’s not that, it’s about qualifying for the 2026 Hockey World Cup and it’s about winning the Asian Games,” he added. “So that’s where we are in the bigger picture.”
The Asian Games will take place in Rajgir, Bihar, from 27 August, with the winner earning a direct berth to the World Cup.
During their seven-match losing streak in Europe, India scored 14 goals but conceded 23 times. All but one of their six wins came at home, with their only European win coming against Belgium.
Admitting that he has “mixed feelings” about the performance, Fulton added, “We went there to qualify for the World Cup next year but result‑wise, we were not good. We were competitive and lost close matches, and we were just not consistent.”
“We were not the most proficient team in terms of scoring goals. If we are not scoring and still conceding, then there is a problem, and that’s what shows,” he said.
Fulton Discusses Indian Hockey Team’s Post-Paris Journey
Craig Fulton and his Indian side had a successful journey in the Paris 2024 Olympics, winning the bronze medal. However, the coach said injuries and a host of new faces prevented them from sustaining that form.
“We had a tough time after Paris. We played a tournament three weeks after the Games, and we had injuries. We have given a lot of opportunities for players to join the training squad.
“We have a big tournament like the Asia Cup where we want to qualify for the World Cup, and then we have to focus on the Asian Games where we want to be Asia No. 1,” he added.
