INDORE: With the Olympics only 16 months away, it was always going to be a challenge for Hockey India (HI) to attract a coaching superstar. With several of the elite coaches happy to stay with their respective teams, HI had no option but two appoint three interim coaches for the next assignment, two-legged home Pro League ties against Germany and Australia, over the next 10 days or so.
Over the long term, though, they have appointed Craig Fulton, a South African who has an impressive CV. He came into the limelight after helping Ireland qualify for the Olympics; a first for the nation in over 100 years. He won the 2015 Coach of the Year award for that. He has also proven to be an elite operator at club level as he led Royal Racing Club Bruxelles to a domestic title last year.
His CV also includes the time he spent as assistant coach of the Belgian senior men's national team. He was in the dugout when they won the World Cup in 2018 as well as the Olympics in 2021. So, what kind of a coach is Fulton, whose appointment in itself is a significant departure after hiring coaches from The Netherlands and Australia in recent times?
Shane McLeod, the former Belgian national coach, knows Fulton better than most. He picks up the story. "We were watching him closely when he was coach of the Irish team," he tells this daily from Belgium. "We thought he would be a good addition so we brought him onboard."
He immediately proved to be a good addition as the players enjoyed working with him. The one thing he brings with him 'is positive vibes', according to McCleod. Thomas Briels, who was the World Cup-winning captain in 2018, concurs. "I think the players liked the fact he was around the team," he says. "He's mister positive, always smiling, and a very nice guy. He radiates positive vibes."
The one thing Briels loved the most about working with Fulton was the way he communicated with the players. "He's a very good communicator, he makes the players better and gives them tips. He makes sure that players feel good, a top professional." McLeod also signs from the same hymn sheet.
Briels gets intimate when he's talking about Fulton's methodology. "He gives the players creative freedom to perform," he tells. Most top coaches prefer this coaching methodology where they let the players problem-solve on the field of play.
McLeod, who knows all about the culture and system in India, says Fulton will adapt quickly. "He's tactically quite innovative so you may see some new things. Also, some coaches bring with them a philosophy and expect players to play on those lines but he's adaptable so he will be happy to work based on the strengths of the players he's inheriting. So, for example, you could maybe see a more counter-attacking approach to the game. It could be a big feature of how they play." After the Pro League games finish in the Summer, Fulton's immediate in-tray will consist of qualifying for the Olympics by winning the Olympics.