FOR someone who has represented the country in two Olympics, Kashif Jawad was certainly not treated with the respect that he deserved either by Pakistan Hockey Federation or its selection committee when they picked up the squad for the forthcoming Azlan Shah tournament in Malaysia.
I am not suggesting that people should be treated on the basis of past performances or be allowed to sit pretty on laurels earned in the past. I don’t believe in that. People have to perform well on a consistent basis to be able to contend for a space in the national squad. That is the only rule I have observed and believed in while I was a player and subsequently in my various capacities with the hockey setups nationally and internationally.
Having said that, PHF has to show respect to its seniors and take them into confidence before going for the kill. The manner in which PHF functionaries dealt with the issue has left a bad taste in the mouth of all concerned. Secretary Musarrattullah, Chief Selector Akhtar Rasool and Manager Samiullah have all been quoted by the media as citing a different reason for the ouster of Kashif Jawad. One said it was because of his lack of form, the other said it was lack of fitness, and the last version brought into picture his father’s recent death which is said to have left him in some kind of emotional imbalance.
All I can say on the issue is that the national camp lasted just eight days and two of those days were holidays, which means effectively it was a six-day camp. And I know for sure that during those six days the emphasis was on individual training and team game was tried out just once, if at all. Under such circumstances, it must be difficult, if not impossible, to assess someone’s form. The same applies to fitness. Unless someone is carrying a real serious injury, there can be no real assessment of fitness in the absence of a serious trial game.
And, finally, if there was an emotional problem with the player, he would not have been there in the camp, and would have been spending time with the family. He made his intentions clear by coming to the camp, and by not picking him up, the PHF has added to his woes. He had already lost his father; now he is out of the team as well for no fault of his own.
The way it all happened suggests that the decision might have been based on reasons other than of the sporting variety. If so, this certainly does not augur well for the future of Pakistan Hockey. It is hard to build a career, but it takes just one questionable armchair decision to destroy it. The manner of Kashif’s ouster and the chorus of contradictory voices coming out of PHF corridors together have caused a serious setback to the cause of Pakistan Hockey.
The only ray of hope for the followers of the game is PHF boss Tariq Kirmani, who thus far seems to be trying his best to inject some level of sanity and professionalism within the PHF machinery. It would be great on his part if he, in his capacity as the head of the organization, could review the decision of the selection committee.
Kashif Jawad has been a proud servant of Pakistan Hockey, and has a good couple of years still left in him. The PHF boss would do well to have his fitness re-assessed, and may even talk to him personally to have a first-hand assessment of what his emotional situation is like. I am dead sure that he will find much to review his rather unceremonious dumping from the national squad, which, by the way, is already suffering from lack of quality players.
The other omission, that of Sohail Abbas, is justified on the ground that once a player is himself not willing to be part of the squad, there is no point bringing him in. Everything that has been said about him in the media has been based on conjectures. Tariq Kirmani is the only soul who has the full picture in his view, and seems to have taken the right decision by deciding to go ahead without Sohail Abbas. It is now up to Kirmani to intervene in the matter of Kashif Jawad and set things right. Over to you, Tariq Kirmani!
FOR someone who has represented the country in two Olympics, Kashif Jawad was certainly not treated with the respect that he deserved either by Pakistan Hockey Federation or its selection committee when they picked up the squad for the forthcoming Azlan Shah tournament in Malaysia.
The way it all happened suggests that the decision might have been based on reasons other than of the sporting variety. If so, this certainly does not augur well for the future of Pakistan Hockey. It is hard to build a career, but it takes just one questionable armchair decision to destroy it. The manner of Kashif’s ouster and the chorus of contradictory voices coming out of PHF corridors together have caused a serious setback to the cause of Pakistan Hockey.
