Craig Fulton Happy As India's Defensive Masterplan Earns Rich Dividends At Paris Olympics

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Head coach Craig Fulton expressed immense satisfaction on Wednesday, reflecting on the Indian men's hockey team's new defensive strategy that earned them a bronze medal at the Paris Olympic Games. Historically, India's hockey team has struggled with defense, focusing more on attacking play. This changed with Fulton's appointment in March year.

"I was pleased with defence coming in with a new and trying to get to buy into it. And you know, once they started see it bear fruit we could stay in game for longer," told PTI.

Defensive Transformation

The team's defensive prowess was evident during the quarterfinal against Britain, where they managed a 1-1 draw despite being down to 10 men for nearly 40 minutes. However, without key defender Amit Rohidas, India faltered against Germany in the semifinals, conceding three goals and missing out on the final.

"We lost the one game that was really important, the semifinal where we conceded three goals in that game. So that wasn't up to the level that we know we can play at. But they're (Germany) a good team and they took their chances and we didn't," Fulton said.

Challenges and Reflections

Fulton acknowledged the challenges since joining the Indian setup, emphasizing the need to set a bold vision and aim for podium finishes at major tournaments like the Olympics and World Cup. "To get back on track, set a vision, a really bold vision and returning on the podium in the Olympics and World Cup," he noted.

Despite losing 0-5 to Australia in a Test series before the Olympics, Fulton remained focused on long-term planning rather than immediate results. "I was not thinking about results. I was thinking about planning how we're going to beat these teams in the Olympics where it counts. You can lose five games, it doesn't matter. And that was my whole plan."

Future Aspirations

The celebrations of winning an Olympic medal will be brief as preparations begin for the Asian Champions Trophy starting September 8. Reflecting on their performance, Fulton mentioned, "Well, it's just more or less looking back at the tournament and having a reflection first. It's just really sudden."

Fulton highlighted India's strong performances against top teams like Holland and Australia throughout their campaign. "We had great results against Holland all the way through. We had great results against Australia. It was close," he added.

The ultimate goal remains clear for Fulton: success at future major tournaments including the 2026 World Cup and LA28 Olympics. "The ultimate goal is the 2026 World Cup and the LA28," he declared.

India's journey under Fulton's guidance has shown promise with significant improvements in their defensive strategies, setting a solid foundation for future successes.