LAHORE, May 21: The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) on Tuesday decided to retain the entire national team management, including coach-cum-manager Akhtar Rasool, until 2014 World Cup.

Earlier, there were reports that Akhtar will soon be quitting his job as head coach to concentrate on his political career.

PHF secretary Asif Bajwa, addressing a news conference here on Tuesday soon after the federation’s marathon meeting, said Akhtar as well as the netire team management will be retained for the 2014 World Cup.

“The PHF, under the chairmanship of Qasim Zia, held an important meeting to review the current situation where countless rumours about change in the team management, especially head coach Akhtar Rasool, have been taking rounds,” said Bajwa.

“The members at the meeting reviewed the situation and evaluated the present circumstances before deciding to retain the present team management,” Bajwa said.

Among others, Akhtar Rasool, Hanif Khan and PHF consultant Tahir Zaman, who had emerged as the prime candidate for the post of head coach, attended the two-hour meeting.

The PHF secretary further said that Arshad Khan and Adnan Zakir have been inducted into the team management as goalkeeping coach and trainer respectively on the head coach’s request.

Akhtar, meanwhile, said that he had decided to continue his job as he had enough time to contest the next general elections.

“Hockey is my family game. I have great love for it and feel that I can contribute towards the betterment of the game by working with the national team,” Akhtar remarked.

He said that Tahir would be invited to attend the training camp at Abbottabad and disclosed that the training camp for the World League — the qualifiers for the 2014 World Cup — was scheduled to be held on May 29.

“The camp in its second phase will also be held in Karachi on June 18 and the team will then leave for Malaysia on June 24 to help boys acclimatise themselves to weather conditions there,” Bajwa said.

The PHF secretary further said that Tahir would be available for the national team but it will be the prerogative of the head coach to consult him on various issues.

To a question regarding the four players who had ditched the team in the last Azlan Shah Cup to feature in league hockey in Europe, Bajwa said it was a wrong move on the players’ part but it won’t happen again.

“From now on, the PHF will ensure that the league are bound by a clause under which the PHF can review the contract of any player featuring in the leagues to avoid damage to the national team,” Bajwa said.

Meanwhile, coach Hanif Khan said that he had no problem in serving under head coach Akhtar Rasool and would do his best to produce good results in the 2014 World Cup.

Tahir also said that he along with the team management is ready to make joint efforts for the betterment of the team.