Nagoya: With the Indian men’s hockey team having successfully defended its Asian Games title and secured direct qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, head coach Craig Fulton has already turned his attention towards the next generation.
India defeated Malaysia 5-1 in the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games final to win back-to-back Asian Games gold medals for the first time in the history of Indian men’s hockey.
Speaking exclusively to SAI Media, Fulton said the Hockey India League (HIL) will be an important transition point before India begins rebuilding its squad for the LA Olympics.
“LA 2028 is within two years. It seems a long way off, but it obviously comes around pretty quick. I think at the moment we’re just trying to get the right schedule, the right planning in place,” Fulton said.
The 51-year-old coach revealed that India will assess its pool of players after the HIL, with a clear emphasis on bringing more youngsters into the senior setup.
“Post the Hockey India League, we’ll have a look at all the talent that we have, choose new squad, and start afresh from there,” he said.
Fulton pointed to India’s strong talent pipeline, with the India A setup and Under-21 team providing a pool of players who could be integrated into the senior squad.
“We have some youth, but we have a lot of youth in the Indian A team and a strong Under-21 team as well, which is great,” he added.
Back-to-back Asian Games gold a special achievement
The Asian Games triumph was India’s fifth men’s hockey gold at the continental Games, following victories in Bangkok 1966, Bangkok 1998, Incheon 2014 and Hangzhou 2022.
For Fulton, defending the Hangzhou title in Nagoya carried a different significance.
“Hangzhou, being the first gold medal, was very special. But to come back and defend it back-to-back golds is always special,” he said.
India’s campaign included a dramatic 4-3 semifinal victory over arch-rivals Pakistan.
India raced to a 3-0 lead through Harmanpreet Singh’s two goals and Sukhjeet Singh’s strike before Pakistan fought back to level the contest. Abhishek then struck in the dying minutes to send India into the final.
Fulton admitted Pakistan’s comeback tested his team.
“Pakistan is that team that if you give them any free opportunities, they take them and they are a great team,” he said.
India eventually found a way to score the decisive fourth goal and reach the final, where they produced a commanding 5-1 victory over Malaysia.
‘We want to dominate on the world stage’
The Asian Games success also marked a historic double for Indian hockey, with both the men’s and women’s teams winning gold medals in Nagoya.
The women ended a 44-year wait for the Asian Games title by defeating China 1-0, while the men successfully defended their crown.
Fulton credited the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and the government for providing crucial support to Indian hockey, including national camps, international exposure, foreign coaching and equipment.
“The government is our biggest supporter in terms of the resources and the funds that they put forward to helping the grassroots programs all the way through to the 18s, 21s, seniors,” Fulton said.
But the coach believes India must now take the next step beyond Asian dominance.
“Yes, that’s domination in Asia. We obviously want to do that on the world stage,” he said.
With LA 2028 qualification already secured, Fulton’s immediate task is clear: identify the next generation, blend youth with experience and build a team capable of taking Indian hockey from continental supremacy to Olympic contention.
