LAHORE, June 21: Olympian Samiullah Khan has stepped down for the second time during his 10-month tenure. He has been replaced as manager of Pakistan hockey team by Olympian Saeed Khan.

Sami was appointed manager after the Athens Olympics in August last year.

He had earlier tendered resignation after the Lahore Champions Trophy last December, protesting over the appointment of two assistant coaches “without his consultation”.

However, he took his resignation back after a meeting with Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) president Tariq Kirmani.

“In view of Sami having regretted inability to continue as the manager of the senior team due to official pressing assignments, the PHF president has approved the appointment of Saeed Khan as the manager,” a PHF press release stated on Tuesday.

As manager, Sami remained with the Pakistan team which participated in the Champions Trophy (third position), played a series against India (Pakistan won) and Azlan Shah Cup, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia where team hardly managed a third place after failing to reach final following a 1-0 defeat to lowly-ranked Malaysia.

Meanwhile, PHF appointed Saeed as convener of a committee which will finalize its recommendations by July 10 to check the decline of the game in the NWFP. Haji Fareed Khan Jadoon, Rahim Khan and Mawaz Khan are the members.

Another committee headed by Khawaja Muhammad Aslam, father of Pakistan junior team’s stand-in manager Khawaja Junaid, will finalise the recommendations to resolve the issue between two rival groups of Lahore District Hockey Association. Lt-Col Saeed Ahmad (retd), Tauqeer Ahmed Dar, Qasim Khan are members.