LAHORE, Dec 24: Pakistan hockey officials hinted Monday that the team which finished fourth in the Champions Trophy would be retained for next year’s World Cup to be played in Kuala Lumpur in February.

Team manager Khalid Sajjad Khokhar told newsmen that any changes in the national outfit would be made after the World Cup.

Khokhar was supervizing the training camp which began at the National Hockey Stadium. The camp has been set up to prepare the team for next month’s five-nation pre-World Cup tournament being staged at the Malaysian captain.

Khokhar said that the five-nation tournament would give the team much needed match practice. He said the team for the tournament would be announced in the second week of January.

He said that the half-line of the team needed more attention of the coaches, stressing that defence was satisfactory.

He admitted that the national side has failed to take full advantage of the no-offside rule.

He said he had no information about any step taken by the PHF regarding providing technical assistance to the team coaches. The PHF, in its last Congress meeting, had approved a plan to form a panel comprises hockey legends which will provide the coaches technical assistance in improving the performance of the team.

Team coach Hanif Khan and full-back Sohail Abbas missed the first day action after failing to report at the camp. Khawaja Junaid conducted the camp.

Hanif and Sohail are expected to join the camp Tuesday.