New Delhi: Hockey India has appointed French tactician Frederic Soyez as the new head coach of the Indian junior men’s hockey team, marking a significant step in the country’s long-term hockey development strategy.
Soyez, widely regarded as one of Europe’s most accomplished modern hockey coaches, brings extensive international experience having represented France as a player and later serving as head coach of both the French and Spanish national teams. His appointment comes at a time when India is strengthening its developmental structure across age groups with an eye on consistent global performance, including preparations leading up to the 2036 Olympic Games.
A former international goalkeeper and Olympic bronze medallist for India, P. R. Sreejesh had earlier completed his tenure as junior team coach in December 2025. His non-extension had sparked debate within the hockey fraternity regarding development pathways and coaching structure.
Soyez enjoyed a distinguished playing career for France between 1995 and 2010, earning nearly 200 international caps. As a coach, he has been credited with guiding France to qualification for multiple major tournaments, including the Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020, and Paris 2024 Olympic Games. He also played a key role in youth development, helping France secure a silver medal at the 2013 FIH Junior World Cup in New Delhi and again achieving podium success at the 2025 European junior championship.
His coaching profile also includes serving as High Performance Director of the French Hockey Federation from 2021 to 2024, where he focused on structured talent development and modern performance systems. Soyez is known for his tactical discipline, penalty corner strategies, and ability to build cohesive teams across all levels.
Welcoming the appointment, Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey said the federation expects Soyez’s vast international experience to strengthen India’s junior programme and contribute to its long-term Olympic ambitions.
The federation reiterated that its broader vision focuses on an integrated coaching system across senior, junior, and sub-junior levels. This structure aims to ensure continuity in playing philosophy, enabling smoother transition of players through the national pipeline.
Meanwhile, Sreejesh had recently questioned aspects of India’s developmental coaching framework on social media, sparking discussion over team structures and support systems within Indian hockey. Despite differing opinions, Hockey India maintains that its evolving strategy is designed to build a sustainable high-performance ecosystem.
Soyez’s appointment is being seen as part of India’s continued push to blend international expertise with domestic coaching systems in pursuit of consistent global success.
