May 7, 2005	Saturday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 27, 1426

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ISLAMABAD, May 6: Prominent coach Fahim Gul on Friday blasted the Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF) saying they had no proper coaching plan and were only groping in the dark. “There is no system and the coaches have no long-term programme to revive the game,” Fahim told Dawn.

“The PSF is making such decisions that do not make sense at all and there seems to be no chain of command,” said the man who was Pakistan’s national coach between 1993 and 1996.

He questioned the point of sending Mansoor Zaman and Shahid Zaman to England for two months for training. “By picking them, the PSF is sending a wrong signal to the other players. What is their fault,” he asked.

“Is the PSF thinking of winning the World Team Championship with only Mansoor and Shahid?”

Mansoor and Shahid are due to leave for England shortly along with coach Jamshed Gul where they will be based in Nottingham. During their stay there the two players besides regular training will also be playing matches against several top players.

Fahim, the only World Referee from Asia, refuted PSF’s claims that he was being engaged for the time Jamshed will be in England.

“I have no magic stick to set things right in a short period and besides, I would never take up a job as a stop-gap arrangement.”

Secretary of PSF, Zulfiqar Ahmed had said earlier this week that they were negotiating with Fahim but would not offer him a long-term contract.

Fahim, however, said that he had turned down job offers in Malaysia and Singapore, where he was a national coach, because of PSF who wanted his services here.

“I have no short plan but I definitely have a five-year programme that can help Pakistan out of the current gloom.”