India, May 14 -- A day after PR Sreejesh lambasted Hockey India (HI) for not renewing his contract, the national sports federation (NSF) appointed his successor, naming Frenchman Frederic Soyez as the new chief coach of the Indian junior men's team on Thursday.

HT had reported on Wednesday that Soyez would be replacing Sreejesh, whose contract had expired in December 2025.

Soyez brings three decades of elite hockey experience, including 15 years as a France international and 15 years as a coach. The 48-year-old played for France from 1995 to 2010, earning 196 international caps and scoring 195 goals before becoming a coach.

A proven developer of young talent, Soyez coached France to a silver at the 2013 Junior World Cup before being ap...