At an unique interplay on the TOI workplace in Kochi, the 36-year-old former India custodian was unequivocal: “We tend to pamper gamers.However I believe you must all the time problem them and provides them extra duties. I’ll put stress on the gamers”.
Sreejesh stated India had all the pieces going for them in Paris and it was “disappointing” that we did not get gold this time. “India had the standard and calibre to play within the (hockey) remaining in Paris,” he stated emphatically, including that “at some point, we would be the finest workforce on the planet”.
He spoke at size on how a goalkeeper is about other than the opposite 10 gamers within the workforce. “Truly, he’s not taking part in hockey on the turf. He’s a lone ranger. Even when the goalkeeper saves or concedes, he stands alone”. Dismissing comparisons to Emiliano Martinez, the Argentine soccer goalie of 2022 World Cup fame, as farfetched, he, nonetheless, stated probability as a lot as instincts imply life and demise to the goalie, quoting the colloquial Malayalam proverb, “a jackfruit may come crashing down however the rabbit scoots in time”.
Lastly, Sreejesh categorically refuted any second ideas on his determination to name it a day. “It is a comfortable ending for me. I retired after successful the Olympic bronze and had the honour of carrying the flag through the closing ceremony.”
For 18 lengthy years, PR Sreejesh exemplified dedication on the hockey turf. On Friday, TOI received a glimpse into his sense of dedication. After arriving within the metropolis early on Friday morning from Delhi, Sreejesh agreed to go to TOI’s Kochi workplace within the morning. However quickly he learnt his daughter Anusree was unwell and knowledgeable us that she needed to be taken to a hospital. However he promised that he could be in our workplace as quickly because the medical doctors completed his daughter’s medical examination. As promised, at 2 within the afternoon, the two-time Olympic bronze medallist walked in accompanied by spouse Aneeshya and Anusree. In a protracted, freewheeling dialog with Group TOI, Sreejesh opened up on a wide range of matters.
Excerpts:
Many nice gamers, together with Messi, have taken a U-turn after asserting retirement. HI president Dilip Tirkey himself has urged you to hold on…
In at this time’s world, such grand farewells are a rarity. Whatever the sport or the extent of competitors, athletes seldom obtain a send-off of this magnitude. It’s a contented ending for me. It’s a becoming conclusion to a outstanding profession. What if I determine to return and that proves to be a mistake? The media and followers might be fast to criticise and query my comeback. I retired after successful the Olympic bronze and had the honour of carrying the flag through the closing ceremony. On returning house, Hockey India organised an impressive reception, and my jersey quantity (16) is now retired. For a sportsperson, it’s tough to think about a larger tribute than this.
Regardless of retaining Olympic bronze, are you disillusioned that you simply couldn’t go on to win gold?
Actually. It’s a undeniable fact that India had the standard and the calibre to play within the remaining. Maybe that’s the reason there wasn’t as a lot celebration as there was for the Tokyo Olympics bronze. The Tokyo Olympics medal introduced immense pleasure and aid. Right here, the enjoyment of successful was restricted. There was some disappointment because the workforce ought to have gained the semifinal and performed the ultimate.
Of your two Olympic bronze medals, which is extra particular — Tokyo or Paris?
Tokyo is particular as a result of it got here with none expectations. Each time we went to the Olympics, individuals would say that India would win a medal in hockey. Nonetheless, I received to put my hand on a medal solely in my third Olympics. Having fun with and celebrating that second is a particular reminiscence. Tokyo bronze could have a pleasure of place in my coronary heart.
How do you cope with stress?
Stress has turn out to be a behavior now. What I inform our gamers is that an uncomfortable zone is our stress zone. Once I say my consolation zone, will probably be an uncomfortable zone that you simply can not even think about. Simply think about the state of affairs throughout a shootout, the burden of a billion individuals is on you.
How did you handle to stay largely injury-free in your profession?
It’s not that I used to be fully free from accidents. I used to be as soon as sidelined for eight months. However the factor is that I ignored many accidents in my profession. Each my toes are fractured, with bones displaced inside and I didn’t try surgical procedure or correct therapy then. I performed utilizing painkillers. Solely God is aware of what number of disc bulges I’ve. About ten years in the past, there have been round six bulges.
You might have been put in control of teaching the Indian junior workforce. How do you propose to go about it?
I’ll put stress on the gamers. I’ll give each within the teaching workforce particular jobs and so they should do it in earnest and submit reviews to me. We are likely to pamper gamers. However as a coach, I really feel you must all the time problem the gamers and provides them extra duties. One other factor is documentation, we must always give them (the gamers) the right reviews.
Will your retirement create a vacuum?
I believe for the following two tournaments there might be comparisons with the following goalkeeper, (Krishan) Pathak or Suraj (Karkera), whoever steps into my footwear. After two months it is going to fade away. They’ll evaluate him with the following particular person. It gained’t be a giant difficulty so long as India wins as a result of individuals gained’t discover your errors. It’s whenever you lose, you’ll face questions. If we hadn’t gained this time, Harman (Harmanpreet) and I’d have confronted loads of criticism as a result of we dedicated loads of errors.
