Following a disappointing FIH Pro League campaign, the Pakistan Hockey Federation is set to implement a major overhaul, including the recruitment of foreign coaches and trainers, to revitalise the national hockey team and its development programmes.
Key Points
- Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) to revamp national hockey structure after poor FIH Pro League performance.
- PHF plans to hire foreign coaches and trainers from Australia, Netherlands, or Germany.
- New foreign expertise will be applied across senior, junior, and domestic levels.
- The decision follows Pakistan's last-place finish in the FIH Pro League, including two defeats to India.
- PHF aims to modernise the national team's preparation for future competitions like the World Cup.
Disappointed with the national team's disastrous FIH Pro League campaign, the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has decided to revamp the entire structure of the game and rope in foreign coaches and trainers to revive the sport in the country.
Pakistan failed to win a single match in the FIH Pro League this season, which includes two defeats against arch-rivals India in London and finished last in the nine-team competition. Pakistan lost 3-4 and 1-7 against India in the just-concluded London leg of the Pro League.
PHF Seeks International Expertise
The PHF, which is being run by interim president Muhhudyin Wani, said in a statement that it would bring in foreign coaches and trainers from Australia, Netherlands or Germany to not only work with the senior team but also junior players and at the domestic level. It said the recent results in the FIH Pro League had pushed the agenda for a major restructuring in the sport as the country had a proud hockey legacy. The PHF said it was time to prepare the national team as per requirements of modern day hockey.
Addressing Past Coaching Decisions
The PHF appointed number of former stalwarts, who played in the 60s, 70s and 80s to different positions, including the contentious appointment of Manzur ul Hasan as head coach at the age of 74 for the FIH Pro League. Besides Manzur, names like Islahuddin Siddiqui, Hasan Sardar, Samiullah, Ayaz Mahmood were roped in key positions in the hockey set-up by Wani.
A reliable source aware of the developments confided that the PHF had already began a hectic search for head coach, assistant coach, physiotherapist, trainer and data analyst from abroad in time for the World Cup.
