With four wins, two draws and a loss, the pattern suggests that the fitness level needs to be improved
FOR the national team it was once again a case of being so near yet so far in Malaysia. The team’s performance in the first four matches of the Azlan Shah Cup had given rise to hopes that it will be able to defend its title and that would have meant coming out as the only undefeated team in the tournament. But, unfortunately, that was not to be.
That the team played well for most part of the outing is not much in doubt. Equally beyond doubt is the fact that it did not pace itself well in the competition. While skill, stamina and fitness remain the key ingredients, it is important for any side to pace its progress professionally in any international tournament involving five or more teams.
With hindsight, it is quite clear that the team had an early takeoff, and started going down in the second half of the competition. Four wins, two drawn games and then the loss in the final is a clear indication of the team having peaked at the wrong time in the context of the competition. The drawn game against a low-ranked side like Malaysia is a further proof in this argument.
The pattern has also shed light on the poor fitness level of the team. I have been writing on this key issue for long, and it is amazing that not enough has been done to improve the fitness of the boys. Favourable scores kept coming our way in the first half of the tournament, but tired legs and jaded bodies slowed down the progress and brought about the painful loss in the final.
Besides, the defence mechanism has been the team’s Achilles’ heel for the last few years, as those part of it are often found playing parallel to each other when actually they need to be providing cover to the one going for the tackle. While there were faults in the earlier matches as well, the defenders were in a position to make recoveries because they had properly rested, fresh legs.
Once fatigue started to get the better of them, it was difficult for the defenders to recover in time, and since they do not provide effective cover to each other, once a defender is beaten, the raiding opponent finds a huge undefended area in front of him. On their part, the team’s own forwards also feel the pressure on their stamina and fitness after a few matches, and find it difficult to come to the aid of the defence with the kind of regularity and speed which is seen in the first few matches of any tournament.
All this naturally results in huge, embarrassing gaps when the team is under attack. At least two of the four goals that were against the side in the final were free gifts to the Australians. They were more the result of Pakistani lethargy than Australian excellence.
While Salman Akbar, the goalkeeper, had a good tournament, there were a few incidents where he appeared to be suffering from slow reflexes. A little more workout on his part can do him a world of good.
If newspaper reports are anything to go by, the Pakistan Hockey Federation has planned fitness camps for the coming assignments, and I hope that the step will help the boys overcome the problem. This needs to be stressed, however, that the mere holding of such camps would do nothing if the activity therein is not focussed along professional lines. What these camps will achieve will be on display when the team takes to the field the next time.
With four wins, two draws and a loss, the pattern suggests that the fitness level needs to be improved 
