24 July 2004	Saturday	06 Jamadi-us-Saani 1425

ISLAMABAD, July 23: Squash great Jansher Khan on Friday called upon the national federation that their aim should be to have players among the world's top 10 rather than focussing on juniors who lack in talent.

"Ever since I quit the game, the Pakistan Squash Federation has been unable to produce a player who could make the top rungs of world rankings," Jansher told Dawn. "We need to improve our world ranking instead of investing in junior players who do not have the talent to make the top grades."

He suggested that the PSF, instead of wasting time and money on the current lot of juniors who will be taking part in next month's World Junior Championship, should form a pool of players under 10 years of age.

"The federation should try and groom boys in that age group through a proper system." He said winning the World Junior Championship would be all very well but asked if ever the PSF could guarantee that one of its players could join the top 10 or 20.

"In the current circumstances, this seems impossible because the PSF makes appointments of coaches on personal likes and dislikes." He made it clear that he was neither against junior coach Rehmat Khan nor Jamshed Gul, who trains the seniors, but indicated that former Pakistan Open champion Amjad Khan deserved to be on board.

"Amjad is a former world No 8 and he offered to be the assistant coach of the junior team, however for reasons best known to the PSF, his request was turned down." Such injustices, said the champion player of yesteryear, upset him.

"Amjad would prove to be a good coach; similarly there are other qualified former players who could be associated with the team."

Jansher also spoke about the change that is about to take place in the PSF that will see secretary Wng Cdr Sajid Waheed making way for a new man after the World Junior Championship. "This is again a wrong policy. Just when a secretary begins to settle down, he is removed.

The tenure should at least be of five years." Stressing his point further, he said it was always good to have a well-versed secretary who could brief his bosses in a right manner.