Veteran goalkeeper PR Sreejesh on Tuesday said the main focus of the Indian men’s hockey team is to win the Asian Games this year as well as qualify for the Paris Olympics by giving opportunities to the youth.
He added that a busy year for the team will see a lot of youngsters being given opportunities to participate in major events such as the Commonwealth Games and the Asiad.
The Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist will begin the year with the FIH Hockey Pro League next month.
“After every Olympics, we plan for the next four years. So after Tokyo we have already started planning for the Paris Olympics,” Sreejesh said during a virtual media interaction.
“There are going to be a lot of changes in the team (for Paris), a lot of new people are being added to the core group,” he said.
Sreejesh is a part of the International Institute of Sports Management’s initiative in which 18 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic medalists have come together to recite the national anthem in a video, which was released on Monday.
Asked if this is the right time to prepare the youngsters with the Paris Olympics two years away, Sreejesh said with so many bouts, it would be good to give opportunities to junior players.
“I did not say that we will bring a lot of youngsters directly into the team, but their inclusion in the core group will give them more opportunities. We are starting this year with the Pro League ahead of the Asian Games and the Commonwealth Games.”
“We will get around 16 matches and probably the Asian Cup and this is the platform where we can try the youngsters, give them a chance to play the tournament.
“At some point you have to give chances to the juniors. This year will be good as they can learn a lot from the senior most players.”
The 33-year-old said the top priority of the team would be to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
“The first target for us is to qualify for Paris, so Asian Games is the biggest hurdle and after that World Cup is the second important tournament. The training and the way we are playing now is going very well, we have implemented new strategies.”
India is set to host the FIH Men’s World Cup in January next year.
“It is too early to say anything about the World Cup as the focus is on the Asian Games right now. But we are looking to break into the top four in Bhubaneswar.”
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