LAHORE, June 28: Shahnaz Sheikh, the national hockey team manager, has urged the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) to give what he said “a special favour” to Sohail Abbas and Waseem Ahmad involved in a disciplinary case.

In his report submitted to the PHF after the recent Australian tour, Shahnaz has recommended PHF to give Sohail and Waseem “a special consideration”.

Both the players went to Germany to play in professional league without the approval of the PHF and did not bother to report for training camp set up for tour Down Under.

Sohail and Waseem are still in Germany, while former captain Mohammad Nadeem, who also went to play in league in Germany, returned in the middle of the season and apologised to the PHF.

He was, however, not considered by the PHF for the Australian tour as a punishment.

“There should be no compromise on discipline but special consideration may please given after hearing Sohail and Waseem’s point of views in the largest interest of the nation,” the manager recommended in his report.

Shahnaz has been facing allegation by Wapda that it was on his instigation that Sohail and Waseem went abroad to play league.

The manager repeatedly mentioned in the report about the importance of three senior players Sohail, Waseem and Nadeem who missed the tour.

Shahnaz has complained not a single official was present at the airport to receive the team on their return from Australia except PHF reception committee chairman Pervez Bhindara.

The manager said hosts Australia only provided accommodation with breakfast, while the meals were arranged by the Pakistan team itself throughout the tournament that enhanced the allocated budget.

Shahnaz stated Mohammad Saqlain and Dilawar Hussain exchanged hot words during the match against India in the back to back two three-nation tournaments in Australia from May 28 to June 8.

“During the match against India there was an exchange of hot words between Saqlain and Dilawar who were reprimanded. However on their   written apologies they have been warned to avoid such misconduct in future,” he said.

The manager was not satisfied with the performances of four players in the absence of three stalwarts.

“The upgraded players like Mudassar Ali, Shabbir Hussain, Khalid Saleem and Kashif Jawwad did not act what was required from them,” the manager said.

“The less goal scoring through penalty corners and poor defending of opponent penalty corner were also the causes of poor results.

“More than 50 per cent goals Pakistan conceded were due to individual mistakes which was because of pressure on newly built and inexperience team,” the report stated.

The manager pointed out off-the-ball movement, especially when the front players lost possession and defenders while defending, chasing on shifting of ball by opponent from one end to another end was very slow and causes lot of damages.

The support from intermediate defence was not as comprehensive as required and retention of the ball by the  front players and missing opportunities did the damage, he said.

Shahnaz said his was the one of the young and inexperienced side among the participants. In most of the matches it conceded early goal but being a young side fought back in every match and level the deficit or lost the match with minor margin.

He stated although result of the team, especially in the first leg was not satisfactory, he praised the federation for sending a young team for the tournament.

He recommended for a professional physiotherapist, physical trainer and a “video man”.