Hockey India on Friday confirmed that South African Craig Fulton would be the new chief coach of the Indian males’s hockey crew, succeeding Graham Reid who resigned after India’s poor outing on the 2023 World Cup in January.
Whereas the Australian led India to its first Olympic medal in 41 years in Tokyo, it was additionally beneath him that India completed joint ninth in Odisha – the worst present by a number within the historical past of the event.
The 48-year-old with almost 25 years of teaching expertise will be a part of the crew on the earliest upon finishing formalities.
“I’m very happy to state that Hockey India has finalised Craig Fulton for the chief coach’s function with the Indian males’s hockey crew. I’ve had the honour of enjoying in opposition to him and now I look ahead to carefully working with him on this new section,” mentioned Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey.
“He comes with super expertise in teaching and his work ethic induces confidence in elevating the crew’s efficiency in world hockey. I welcome Craig to India and want him one of the best.”
As a world for South Africa, Fulton earned 195 caps over a span of 10 years, from 1996 to 2005, additionally enjoying on the 1996 Atlanta and 2004 Athens Olympic Video games. He additionally performed on the World Cup and Commonwealth Video games.
As a coach, Fulton has proven exemplary ends in his earlier roles. His rise to fame began with a stint with the Irish males’s crew as head coach between 2014 to 2018 when the crew certified for the 2016 Rio Olympics. This was Eire’s first Olympic qualification in 108 years. He guided Eire to bronze on the 2015 EuroHockey Championship and in addition helped them qualify for the 2018 World Cup. The historic feats helped him win the FIH Coach of the Yr in 2015.
After his four-year stint with Eire, Fulton joined Belgium as an assistant to move coach Shane McLeod in 2018, serving to them win the World Cup in Bhubaneswar later that yr. He was additionally a part of the Belgian outfit that received the Tokyo Olympics gold and silver on the 2023 World Cup in Odisha.
He was named Belgium Coach of the Yr 2023 after teaching Belgian membership Racing to the league title final season. Fulton can also be at present the coach of Belgian membership KHC Dragons and has had membership stints in England, Eire and South Africa too.
“It’s an honour to be appointed within the function of chief coach for the Indian males’s hockey crew. India has a deep historical past and legacy of the game and I look ahead to work, to taking this ahead with the present crew which has some very promising expertise,” mentioned Fulton, whose brother Grant and spouse Natalie have been additionally South Africa internationals.
The announcement was made forward of the crew’s dwelling matches within the Professional League. India will play 4 matches, two every in opposition to newly topped world champions Germany and Tokyo Olympics silver medallists Australia, on the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela from March 10 to fifteen.