ISLAMABAD, Aug 31: Former Olympian Shahnaz Sheikh while terming national team’s performance in the Asia Cup disastrous demanded the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) officials to resign and let others handle the hockey matters.

Shahnaz, who was disappointed with the team and the PHF, said no ifs and buts would help them.

“The PHF knows the team is weak in attacking hockey and has collapsed terribly on several occasions. But what have they done for it?”

He advised the PHF to let other talented administrators take over the job.

Shahnaz reckoned all this disaster could’ve been avoided if the PHF and the sports ministry had listened to former Olympians after the team’s pathetic show in the 2010 World Cup when all the senior players had resigned.

“At that time we advised the sports ministry to accept the resignation of these [senior] players, and form a new team comprising promising youngsters,” he said.

Shahnaz, who played between 1969 and 1978, said this Pakistan team would have been better if right men had been selected for the job. “Drastic steps are needed now in order to revive the game of hockey,” he stressed.

He said it was easy for Pakistan to qualify for the World Cup in the WHL rather than in the Asia Cup. “Time and again the PHF had declared that the 2014 World Cup was their target; but now where are they?”—APP