PR Sreejesh Leaves Junior Men's Hockey Coaching Role as Fred Soyez is Appointed

May 13, 2026, 16:46

Introduction

Hockey India has decided not to renew the coaching contract of PR Sreejesh for the junior men's national team. Instead, they have appointed Fred Soyez from France as the new coach.

Main Body

PR Sreejesh's time as coach ended after his contract expired in December 2025. During his eighteen months in the role, the junior team saw significant success, winning five medals, including gold at the Junior Asia Cup and bronze at the Junior World Cup. However, internal reviews showed that Sreejesh's coaching methods did not align with those of the senior team's head coach, Craig Fulton. This lack of coordination was considered a major problem, as the junior team is the main source of players for the senior squad. Sreejesh has disagreed with this decision, claiming that the organization prefers foreign experts over Indian coaches. He suggested that Coach Fulton influenced the choice of a foreign successor and mentioned a meeting with Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya to highlight the goal of empowering Indian coaches for the 2036 Olympics. On the other hand, Hockey India President Dilip Tirkey emphasized that the selection process was based on merit and was managed by a committee. Tirkey also stated that Sreejesh was offered other roles, such as the India A coach and senior team goalkeeping coach, to help him grow professionally, but Sreejesh refused both offers.

Conclusion

Fred Soyez has now taken over the position, while PR Sreejesh is no longer part of the coaching staff after turning down the alternative roles.

Learning

🧩 The 'Contrast' Bridge: Moving beyond "But"

At the A2 level, you likely use "but" for every opposition. To reach B2, you need to signal a shift in perspective using more sophisticated connectors. Look at these two patterns from the text:

1. The "However" Pivot Text: "...winning five medals... However, internal reviews showed..."

The B2 Secret: However is stronger than but. It acts as a speed bump, telling the reader: "Stop. Now I am giving you the opposite side of the story."

A2: He won medals, but there were problems.
B2: He won medals. However, internal reviews revealed significant problems.

2. The "On the other hand" Balance Text: "...claiming that the organization prefers foreign experts... On the other hand, Hockey India President... emphasized..."

The B2 Secret: Use this when you are comparing two different people's opinions or two different points of view. It creates a balanced scale in your writing.

🚀 Vocabulary Upgrade: Precision Words

Stop using "good" or "bad." Use these Action Verbs found in the article to describe professional situations:

A2 Word	B2 Upgrade	Context from Text
Fit together	Align with	"...methods did not align with those of the senior team."
Change/Start	Take over	"Fred Soyez has now taken over the position."
Say no	Turn down	"...after turning down the alternative roles."

Pro Tip: "Turn down" is a phrasal verb. B2 students use phrasal verbs to sound more natural and less like a textbook.

Vocabulary Learning

coaching (n.)

The act of training and guiding athletes to improve performance.

Example:The coaching of the junior team led to their winning five medals.

contract (n.)

A written agreement between parties that sets out terms and conditions.

Example:His contract with Hockey India ended in December 2025.

expired (adj.)

No longer valid because the time period has passed.

Example:The contract had expired, so they did not renew it.

significant (adj.)

Large enough to be noticeable or important.

Example:The team achieved significant success during his tenure.

medals (n.)

Awards given for winning competitions.

Example:They won five medals, including gold and bronze.

internal (adj.)

Belonging to the inside or inside part of an organization.

Example:Internal reviews revealed issues with the coaching methods.

reviews (n.)

Examinations or assessments of something.

Example:The reviews were conducted by a committee.

methods (n.)

Ways or techniques used to do something.

Example:His coaching methods differed from the senior team's.

align (v.)

To bring into agreement or harmony.

Example:The methods did not align with the head coach's approach.

coordination (n.)

The organization of different parts to work together smoothly.

Example:The lack of coordination caused major problems.

major (adj.)

Large or important.

Example:It was a major problem for the team.

disagreed (v.)

To have a different opinion or not agree.

Example:Sreejesh disagreed with the decision to replace him.