LAHORE, June 20: Pakistan hockey team manager, Shahnaz Sheikh, has dispelled the impression created by critics that he was promoting PTCL players and also allowed three senior players to go and play league hockey in Germany.

Replying to a question after presenting his managerial report on the May 28-July 8 Australian tour to the Pakistan  Hockey Federation (PHF) on Friday, Shahnaz stated that he was not an unethical individual to indulge in promoting players of any particular department. Shahnaz is the coach of the PTCL.

Regarding the three players — Muhammad Nadeem (NBP), Sohail  Abbas and Muhammad Waseem (Wapda) who left the country days before the start of the  national training camp set up at Lahore for the Australian tour, Shahnaz clarified that he only came to know about their departure from the former manager, the late Shahid Jafri.

Shahnaz said that inclusion of PTCL’s players in good numbers was on merit and his influence had played no character.

“In the past, a good number of players of PIA, HBL and other departments had  been  playing in the national team. If a department has inducted talented players then what is my fault”, he pleaded.

He expressed his opinion that discipline must be maintained, but punitive action against the erring players was at the discretion of Wapda and PHF.

Explaining some reasons cited in his report, Shahnaz pointed out that the main reason for the dismal performance  in Australia, was the 30 percent individual  mistakes of the players.

He said that Pakistan tried to prepare an alternate for the penalty-corner specialist Sohail in Ghazanfar Ali, but time was short and Ghazanfar could not deliver the goods.

However, he pointed out that the team after a poor show in the first tournament, gave an improved performance in the second leg.

Shahnaz admitted that after playing a drawn game against India, the morale of the team was at the lowest ebb in the next match against Australian “A”.— Our Sports Correspondent