LAHORE, April 5: Secretary Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) Brig (retd) Musarrat Ullah Khan has attributed junior team’s ending the victory drought by winning the six-nation tournament in Kuala Lumpur to three-year long efforts to groom the talent at the grassroots level.

“It is not the result which has been produced overnight, it was a consistent effort made at the grassroots level to develop a system to train the junior players under a long term plan”, he said on Tuesday after his return from Malaysia.

The PHF official said the victory proved that the team was progressing in the right direction to achieve its ultimate objective of performing better in the Junior World Cup in June in Holland.

He said the team got the right break through by winning the four-nation tournament here last month and now the success in a higher level event speak volume of its improvement.

“Victories in the back-to-back tournaments show the team is gradually blending into a winning combination and its performance in altogether 11 matches in both the tournaments as an unbeaten side is a heartening sign”, he added.

“In both tournaments we have played eight teams which will also be taking part in the Jr World Cup and the team’s performance proved that it has finally developed the rhythm for achieving excellence”, he maintained.

Musarrat said PHF was in process to finalise a training tour of the team to Europe which will add to the experience of the players before going to Holland for taking part in the Jr World Cup.

He said the team management comprising head coach Tahir Zaman, coach Khawaja Junaid and manager Muhammad Shafiq deserve appreciation for putting in their best efforts to end the victory drought.

PHF secretary said players should not be complacent after winning two tournaments as the major task has not yet been achieved.

“The team still has to go a long way and any thought of involving the element of complacency will restrict the players from further improving the level of their game”, he said adding “ the team has a few experienced players who are a role model and source of inspiration for the young players”.

Musarrat said the training camp for the build up of the European tour will commence from April 15 at Quetta with 18 team members and nine stand byes attending.

“Our main worry in the tournament was injuries to key players and we have also invited the stand byes to attend the camp to prepare a back-up line for somespecialised positions”, he added.

Meanwhile, the training and trimming camp of Pakistan senior hockey team for tsunami series against India and Azlan Shah Cup will commence at Hockey Club of Pakistan Stadium, Karachi from Wednesday.

The tsunami series matches against India will be played in Karachi, Colombo, New Delhi/Chandigarh in late April while Azlan Shah Cup will be held in Malaysia from May 26 to June 5.

PHF has invited former Pakistan captain Waseem Ahmed and penalty corner specialist Sohail Abbas to attend the camp.—APP