Friendship, coaching rivalry and cricket connections

Sitting in the stands of the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium, Craig Fulton was observing the Indian players in a training session of Hockey India League (HIL) franchise Team Gonasika.

- Sandip Sikdar

ROURKELA: The India chief coach also kept an eye on Paul Revington as the Gonasika head coach gave instructions to the players.

Following the session, Revington waved and walked up to Fulton, both shaking hands and embracing before exchanging pleasantries. The association between the two South African coaches go back to four decades, from their junior playing days.

"Craig and I are pretty much the same age (Fulton is 50, Revington 51). We grew up playing against each other and briefly played together at U-21 level. He continued playing at the senior level. I got injured and went into coaching. Most of our life, in terms of hockey, has been on similar paths," said Revington, who was head coach of Great Britain and England till the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Since Revington moved into coaching quite early, he went on to become the South Africa head coach, handling the team that included Fulton for years, including at the 2004 Athens Olympics. Fulton took up full-time coaching after retirement, first at club level, then as Ireland's chief coach and Belgium's assistant coach before taking over India. "It is amazing. Craig's done exceptionally well with Ireland, Belgium and now with India. Like all good coaches, he's taken different parts of his own journey and pieced it together in different countries," said Revington. "Here in India, he's read the hockey community and the playing style correctly. He's looked at what India needed at the right time. He's done that in his own unique and special way."

It is common for former South Africa players to move to other countries for coaching. Besides Revington and Fulton, there is Greg Nicol, who is New Zealand coach. Though being in the elite circuit means the compatriots get to meet each other occasionally, it puts them in opposite camps.