India recently named South Africa’s Craig Fulton as the new chief coach of the men’s hockey team, a decision made in light of their disappointing showing in the World Cup. Fulton brings 25 years of coaching expertise to the position, and he hopes to achieve great success with his new side. India’s nine-place finish prompted perhaps inevitable changes within the team’s infrastructure as analytical coach Greg Clark and scientific advisor Mitchell Pemberton had also offered their resignations due to an unsuccessful campaign. It will now be up to Fulton to devise tactics that can help the Indian men take strides forward on the international scene.
Reid’s ability to guide the Indian team towards achieving a historic bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics is a testament to the skill and potential of Indian hockey. As the newly appointed chief coach of the Indian men’s hockey team, Fulton is optimistic about taking this legacy further. He stated in an official press release that he feels privileged with his position and sincerely looks forward to working with his talented squad. With his leadership and experience, combined with that of the players, India can look forward to rewriting glory for sustained success in international tournaments.
Adam Fulton’s impressive achievements as a coach have generated plenty of headlines. He enjoyed tremendous success in his previous gigs with the Irish national team and then Belgium, culminating in to multiple awards. Before his stint with Belgium, he was the head coach of the Ireland men’s team which qualified for their first Olympics in a century during the 2016 Rio Games, thereby earning him FIH Coach of the Year recognition. Upon joining the Belgian coaching setup, Fulton further carved out his reputation after helping them win the 2018 World Cup and secure gold at Tokyo 2020 Olympics earlier this year. His efforts earned him another award, “Belgium Coach of the Year” in 2020.
Craig Fulton has one of the most decorated careers of any professional hockey player playing for South African teams. During a ten-year span, he played an impressive 195 international matches, and was an integral part of South Africa’s Olympic teams in 1996 and 2004. He also competed successfully at both the World Cup and Commonwealth Games. Fulton’s appointment as chief coach of Hockey India received tremendous praise from President Dilip Tirkey who formerly played with him. Known for his strong work ethic, it is confidently believed that with Fulton’s coaching expertise, the Indian men’s hockey team will soon be dominating the world hockey circuit again.
Hockey legend Roelant Oltmans’ replacement, Graham Fulton is expected to join the Indian team for the upcoming FIH Pro League matches against Australia and Germany in Rourkela next month. India will play the reigning Commonwealth Games champions Australia on March 12 and 15, with Germany scheduled for March 10 and 13. Interim coaches BJ Kariappa and David John have been working diligently with the Odisha Hockey Federation to help India make a strong showing in these matches. With Fulton leading the way, all eyes are on Team India as they plan to battle their rivals in this high profile competition series.
