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| July 9, 2003 | Wednesday | Jumadi-ul-Awwal 8,1424 |
Rashid vows to help Pakistan attain glory
LAHORE, July 8: The newly appointed manager of Pakistan hockey team, Abdul Rashid Junior has termed the job assigned to him as challenging, and said his specific mandate was to lift the team out of the present gloom.
“I have been assigned a tough job but nothing is impossible, and I have taken up the challenge with a positive frame of mind for the betterment of the team”, he said in an interview on Tuesday.
Rashid inspired the team to victory in the year 1994, to win two major titles, the Champions Trophy at Lahore and the prestigeous World Cup in Sydney.
He expressed faith in the present team despite recent upheavals and said the squad has all the potential to re-establish its reputation as a supreme hockey side.
“I know the present hockey scenario is quite disappointing, but if hard work is blended with sincere effort and the players give their one hundred percent, I am sure we can turn the clock back”, he observed.
Rashid, a former Pakistan captain has the unique distinction of winning World Cup gold both as a player and as an official in 1971 and 1994.
“When I join the camp on July 10 at Karachi, my prime endeavour will be to find out the root cause of the team’s unpredictable run in tournaments, and to implement remedial measures to defy such happenings in future”, he said.
He dispelled the impression that as he was not associated with active hockey since the past eight years, he was not the right choice to deliver the goods.
“Hockey is my passion and I always followed the ups and downs of the team since leaving hockey in 1995, and I know the merit and demerits of the present squad”, he observed.
He said he has full faith in the other team officials, coach Tahir Zaman and assistant coach Shahid Ali Khan and said collective efforts are needed to re-build the image of the team.
“When a team suffers defeats one after another, it also loses its standing among the fans..., later, when it starts producing results it regains the status of a loved team, and this can only be accomplished by having full faith in your colleagues who share your efforts to lift the team’s performance”, he maintained.
The former centre forward described his first assignment, the champions trophy in Holland next month, an uphill task but was confident of improving the team’s performance in the event.
“I know everyone will be looking up to me as the new manager who can do wonders with the team, and whenever a new official is attached to the team, high hopes are pinned on him which put extra pressure on the newcomer... but for me every tournament is of equal importance and what is important is to lead our squad to a respectable position”, he remarked.
To a question, he said at the moment what he understands from the frequent changes in the team management by the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) is to see improvement in the team’s performance, and his appointment is part of the plan to mould it into a winning combination.
“I know what is needed at the moment is obviously victory, but the most important thing is to build the team for years to come, and though it is a huge assignment, I am fully prepared”, he added.—APP
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