New Delhi [India], July 22 : Indian hockey head coach Craig Fulton has urged people to maintain belief in the national men's side despite its poor performance in the FIH Pro League, saying that qualifying for the Hockey World Cup and winning in the Asian Games is still the "bigger picture".
During the FIH Pro League, the team finished in eighth spot out of nine teams, winning just six out of 16 matches and losing seven matches in a row, finishing with 10 losses. During this terrible run, they let their opponents score 23 goals and could score just 14 goals.
"We have to be honest about our performances. We were not consistent enough. We tried a different set of tactics in Bhubaneswar and Europe. We are building, and it is 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," Fulton told Olympics.com.
"If it was about the FIH Pro League, then judge us on that, but it is not that, it is about qualifying for the 2026 Hockey World Cup, and it is about winning the Asian Games. So that's where we are in the bigger picture," he added.
Under Fulton, Team India won a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics, their second successive Olympic medal. The coach said that the period after the Olympics has been tough, but the team has been undergoing evolution with new faces added to the core.
"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. Then we had the Hockey India League and then the Pro League in Bhubaneswar. We got about 29 players in the tournament, and it is good to have new faces in the group," he said.
"There have been lots of changes... and the only constant is change. The squad is evolving, and by bringing in more players, we are trying to create more depth for LA 2028 Olympics. We have a really good core. 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," Fulton added.
The coach admitted that his side could not carry the home phase momentum into the European leg of FIH Pro League, as they could win only one match away from home, the last match against Belgium, where skipper Harmanpreet Singh returned to the side after being away due to injury for five matches.
He said that he has "mixed feelings" about the performances during the tournament, saying that the team was not the most proficient in terms of scoring goals.
"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 is what shows," Fulton added as the team conceded 38 as compared to 34 goals scored.
Fulton's next point of focus is the Asia Cup in Rajgir, Bihar, starting from August 27 to September 7. A win here will guarantee Team India a berth for the World Cup next year.
"The team is proud and happy to play at home. Plus, we will have the 'extra man' in the crowd," said the coach.