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| July 29, 2005 | Friday | Jumadi-us-Sani 21, 1426 |
HOCKEY: Coach offers same old failed recipe
ISLAMABAD, July 28: Rana Mujhaid, assistant coach of the Pakistan hockey team, said on Thursday that they would be aiming to try out various strategies during the two tournaments in Europe next month.
Speaking a day after the national selectors announced a 19-member squad for the events in Hamburg and Amsterdam, he said that winning the competitions was not the target. “This team has been selected with an eye on the World Cup next year, therefore the forthcoming tournaments provide us a good chance to experiment.”
The Pakistan players are currently in training in Islamabad and are due to leave for Hamburg on August 9 where the tournament also involving the hosts Germany, Holland and Australia begins from Aug 12.
The other event which will have eight teams is to be played in Amsterdam where Germany, Holland, Australia, India, Korea, Spain and Argentina will be taking part.
“Both the tournaments will no doubt be tough but the team we have chosen has the potential to do well,” said Rana a former Olympian.
He termed the squad as balanced and made it clear that the omission of centreforward Kashif Jawaad was only because of fitness. “We would have been happy to have him on the team but in no way we are going to compromise on fitness.”
“Shakeel Abbasi will be the spearhead in the absence of Kashif while Rehan Butt may also be played in that position.”
Pakistan also named uncapped fullback Ehsanullah on the squad that is to be led by Muhammad Saqlain. “The defender has done really well in recent camps and has been given a chance so that he could get exposure and we could groom him.”
Of the penalty corner department Rana said Muhammad Imran was doing well and dismissed the notion that star short corner striker Shoail Abbas was being missed.
“The Sohail chapter is now closed and we are not missing him, although we had invited him in good faith. That he has chosen to stay away is his personal decision.”
Rana also pointed out that in order to build for the World Cup, they would require time. “For putting together a really good combination, your really do need time.”
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