Ex-Olympians demand abolition of 'dummy' selection committee
By Shazad Ali
KARACHI, Feb 26: Former stars put Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) and its selectors to sword on Thursday, demanding to abolish what they called dummy "selection committee."
Abdul Rashid Jr, Shahnaz Sheikh and Hanif Khan, the three former stalwarts, said the selectors had failed to deliver, had no utility, especially after senior team coach Roelant Oltmans overruled their decision by recalling discarded Mohammad Sarwar.
"There is no sense in having the selection committee. The selectors never visit the training camps. Joyrides abroad and daily allowance in dollars is all they want," Rashid said.
The former centre-forward said it was time selectors should quit or they should be booted out after Oltmans's step made the selection committee redundant.
"PHF has hired a European coach. Now PHF should also follow the Europe regarding the selection of the players by abolishing the selection committee. I fully agree with what Oltmans did, taking his own decision by recalling Sarwar.
"When the coach is calling the shots in selection matters, why have the selection committee? PHF wants its near and dear ones as selectors who only want dollars and joyrides," he opined.
The four-member "selection committee" has Akhtar Rasool as its chief, Hassan Sardar, Saeed Khan and Saleem Nazim as selectors, and secretary PHF Brig Musarrat Ullah Khan the co-opted member.
However, it lost its utility when Oltmans swept aside selectors' decision of forcing Sarwar to announce retirement soon after trials in July for last year's Amstelveen Champions Trophy.
Sarwar had lashed out at PHF, saying he had been mistreated and accused Akhtar and Hassan of having bias against him. Sarwar had charged that Akhtar and Hassan even threatened PHF they would tender resignations in protest if the forward was included in the squad.
While Oltmans assured only he would submit the 18-member Madrid qualifying round squad, PHF held "trial" to select the team by considering an exhibition match between Pakistan probables and aging former stars as trial. "Oltmans did what even I failed to do when I was the coach. I give full credit to him (Oltmans). Only coach, who works hard during the camps, should be responsible for the selection," Hanif said.
Former coach questioned why Hassan and Akhtar were sticking to their posts, although Sarwar had been inducted in the squad despite their threats that they would step down if the former skipper was included in the squad.
"Why they (Hassan and Akhtar) are still in the selection committee. Why don't they submit their resignations while Sarwar is now in the squad. I say either they should leave in a dignified manner or PHF should show them the exit door and abolish the selection committee," he said.
The former captain said since Hassan had always been a strong critic of the selection committee's existence, his presence in the committee was incomprehensible.
"I wonder what Hassan is doing in the selection committee as he had always spoken against having the committee in the past. However, I fully agree with Hassan and will say there should be no selection committee," the former left-in said.
Shahnaz, also a former selector, said since Oltmans had command over the selection affairs, it would be appropriate to abolish the selection committee. "As things stand, I suggest there is no use of the selectors as Oltmans has total control over the selection which he should," the former manager said.
