KARACHI, Nov 16: Pakistan hockey custodians poured some more old wine in a new bottle as they once again brought in a band of officials tested, rejected and sacked in the past.

Although Pakistan hockey has already gone through unprecedented humiliations during the past two and half years, the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) still has the audacity to continue playing musical chairs.

PHF recently installed “new” officials for the three teams, i.e., seniors, whites and juniors with Olympian Shahnaz Sheikh given the reins as coach of the crisis-ridden seniors.

Shahnaz’s selection as coach is beyond one’s comprehension since he has been given the new duty by the very same PHF which removed him as the national selector earlier.

If one analyses Shahnaz’s credentials, there is not an iota of doubt about his class as a player during his heyday. But if one considers his stint as a coach and manager, team’s performance was inconsistent.

Shahnaz was named coach in 1998 and then became manager in 1999 until he was sacked in 2000. Pakistan failed to reach semifinals at Commonwealth Games, won the silver at Champions Trophy, the bronze at Asian Games, the gold at Azlan Shah Cup when he was coach.

However, Pakistan, for the first time ever, were relegated from Champions Trophy when they finished at rock bottom in 1999 with Shahnaz as coach. But at the 1999 Asia Cup Pakistan settled at second under Shahnaz’s managership.

How can PHF justify Tahir Zaman’s appointment who will assist Shahnaz. Under Tahir’s command, Pakistan faced what was perhaps the most humiliating time in the history of the game.

It’s amazing how the team caved in against minnows New Zealand 7-1 in the semifinal at this year’s Manchester Commonwealth Games where Pakistan grabbed the bronze medal.

The greenshirts’ inconsistency continued as they first lost to India 3-2 in a league game at Cologne Champions Trophy and then beat the arch-rivals 4-3 to win another bronze.

Again under Tahir team wrapped up the season with disgrace returning without a medal from Asian Games in Busan first time in the history of the sport.

What purpose Tahir’s FIH coaches courses served when his side could not even get a bronze at Asiad what to talk of a gold. He should have quit after back-to-back debacles like manager Zafar Ali Khan. But then such a step needs guts and moral courage.

Amazingly, the PHF chief, Gen Aziz Khan, has praised Tahir saying he was a “very capable member” of the team. In fact, his only “capability” was the consistent inconsistency or complacency of the team under his wings.

If PHF is “satisfied” with Tahir’s “capabilities” why has he been demoted to assistant coach. His demotion is ample proof PHF itself has no faith in him.

But why only crucify Tahir or Shahnaz when there are others who have been added to the battalion of team officials. Shahnaz and Tahir, at least are technocrats, but on what basis unheralded Col Shahid Jaffri (retd) has been given the slot of senior team manager is a million dollar question.

Previously, it was PHF’s favourite, Brig Khalid Khokhar, under whose managership team hit the pits including fourth and fifth places at Amstelveen Champions Trophy last November and Kuala Lumpur World Cup earlier this year in Feb-March.

Now another “talent” of hockey world has been entrusted to manage the national squad which had been managed by stalwarts like A.I.S. Dara, Brig Abdul Hameed, Anwar Ahmad, in the past.

But the point the PHF is missing is that Pakistan hockey needs a surgery not medication. And the real solution to the ailment is not changes in team officials and selection committee but a complete overhaul of the PHF setup.

According to Gen Aziz, skill and experience had been considered while naming the officials to improve technical and physical aspects of the players. Shahnaz and Tahir are well-known hockey personalities, but Col Shahid’s “skills or experience” is a mystery for the followers of the game.

Former PHF boss Akhtar Rasool’s comeback as chief selector is another mind-boggling decision. It’s hard to be convinced how can an individual who failed to run the PHF as its chief would do justice with his new job, especially when he was made to resign as PHF’s president.

Sami Khan would be managing Pakistan Whites, but what is incomprehensible is the appointment of Khawaja Junaid as coach.

Can PHF shed some light why Junaid has been given the charge of the Whites when he was not considered good enough to train the seniors and was shunted out after World Cup disaster?

Same is the case of Asif Bajwa, who assisted Tahir during the whole year, was later removed from the senior squad after miserable performances and would now act as junior team coach Ayaz Mahmood’s deputy.

But then again Gen Aziz has expressed “satisfaction” over the showings of the team. One would like to ask if PHF is so “satisfied” what compelled it to make wholesale changes in the team officials and selection committee for the fourth time within two and a half years.

PHF on one hand raises a hue and cry over financial constraints, which according to it, is one of the factors of downfall of the game. But on the other hand it does not hesitate to spend public money on sending freeloaders under the garb of “officials”.

PHF despite being short of funds, as it claims, has appointed two coaches each for seniors and whites, while three coaches for the juniors. Can the cash-strapped PHF bear expenses of the auxiliary “coaches” by sending them with the squad for offshore tournaments.

The presence of so many “coaches” has resulted in catastrophes and these so many cooks will certainly spoil the broth in times to come.