KARACHI, Sept 20: Pakistan hockey chief Gen Aziz Khan Friday did not agree that he should step down because of what he called “whims and disillusions of some people.”

“One should not consider whims and disillusions of some people when there is a matter of national interest. We are aware of the situation and working,” the general told reporters at Pakistan Steel Mills Complex.

The reply came when he was asked after team’s back-to-back defeats was he planning to quit the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) along with the secretary.

Gen Aziz’s response means he and the PHF secretary Brig Musarrat Ullah Khan will contest the federation’s elections being held at the 40th Congress in Lahore Monday, and in all probability both will be re-elected.

The greenshirts have failed to end a long victory-drought. Except couple of minor tournaments, Pakistan, once considered the nightmare of the Europeans, have performed miserably during the last two years.

The team finished fifth at Kuala Lumpur World Cup in February- March, fourth in the Rotterdam Champions Trophy last November, and won bronze at the recently-concluded Champions Trophy in Cologne, Germany.

Asked whether the PHF has decided to inject young blood into the senior squad after the Sept 29 to Oct 14 Asian Games in Busan, South Korea, Gen Aziz said it would be merit on which the players would earn selectors’ nod.

“Not necessarily. We have young talent but only those players will be chosen who will prove worthy enough, irrespective of their age,” he said.

Gen Aziz was not convinced the youthful Indian players were the main strike force that displayed dazzling hockey at the Champions Trophy.

Instead, he gave credit to veteran striker Dhanraj Pillay for India’s sparkling performance at Cologne.

“The Indians had young players, but it was their experienced player (Pillay) who excelled in the field,” he opined.

“Of course Pakistan team has several players like Pillay,” the general said when asked is there a single player in the national side of Pillay’s calibre.

Pakistan lost to arch-rivals India 3-2 in the league match of the Trophy, but overcame their neighbours 4-3 in the bronze medal playoff thanks to 21-year-old Rehan Butt who scored the equaliser and the winner.

India, inspired by their veteran Bombay player Pillay, 35, had no less that 14 youths in the Champions Trophy squad who were the members of the Junior World Cup winning side.

Likewise, Australia, Germany, and the Netherlands also had number of young players in their line-up after some retired, while the aging ones were replaced with youth.

Gen Aziz brushed aside the criticism on team’s ignominious 7-1 clobbering by rank outsiders New Zealand in the Commonwealth Games hosted by Manchester in July-August.

“It was just a bad day. The team was off-colour. We should not forget that our side won the remaining games,” the PHF boss said. “It is for the first time in four years that Pakistan finally managed to stand on victory stand.”

Pakistan, after the humiliation against the Kiwis, got the consolation after beating South Africa 10-2 to claim the bronze.

“The scenario has changed. Team like Australia fared badly at the Champions Trophy. We should also take notice of some positive points of the team,” Gen Aziz said when asked whether he had planned to initiate an accountability process after team’s dismal showings.

Although the general expressed his confidence on the local breed of coaches produced after so-called International Hockey Federation coaches courses, didn’t rule out possibility of hiring a foreign coach.

“We have options and may look for a foreigner for the training job if we feel it is necessary. But we should not underestimate our own coaches who have been trained by an FIH Master Coach,” he said.