LAHORE: With the players’ dues all set to be cleared today, Pakistan hockey head coach Tauqir Dar and captain Mohammad Rizwan Senior on Thursday sounded confident about the national team’s chances in the World Cup starting in India later this month.

The national squad is all set to leave for India via Wagah Border on Saturday morning to feature in the 14th World Cup, a 16-nation event, being staged in Bhubaneswar from Nov 28 to Dec 16.

“Don’t consider our poor world ranking of 13th; [rather] Pakistan will be a surprise package for every team at the World Cup,” head coach and former Olympian Tauqir Dar said while talking to Dawn before the training camp started here at the National Hockey Stadium, Ground No.2 on Thursday.

Players to receive dues from PHF today

“Those who are saying these [Pakistan] players do not know hockey, are wrong. In Holland around 500,000 players compete in [professional] hockey, and they include many [current] players of Pakistan’s national team who are engaged in professional hockey. No European country can pay you for playing hockey if you are raw at the game,” said Tauqir, who joined as head coach on Oct 23, the day when the training camp for the World Cup began.

And Tauqir sounded upbeat about Pakistan’s chances of winning the World Cup.

“In modern-day sport, any team can win [the title] provided it does not miss chances. It also depends on the players’ performance on a given day -- how they utilise the chances. In short, this Pakistan team, if they play to their full potential, are capable of winning the World Cup,” he said.

Responding to the question why he accepted the post of national team’s head coach just weeks before the cut-throat World Cup, the head coach said the love of the game which he inherited drives him.

“During my childhood, my father Munir Dar was playing for Pakistan and when I started playing hockey my uncle Tanvir Dar was in the national side. And then I also represented Pakistan. For the last 15 years I have been running my own academy [Dar Hockey Academy] in Lahore where young aspirants get free coaching,” he said. “So, hockey is in my blood and though [preparation] time is short for me, the morale of the [World Cup-bound] players for the mega event is quite high after we took took some steps to motivate them.

“In this regard, we invited prominent singers like Ali Zafar, Waris Baig and some other renowned persons to the training camp. We also arranged some dine-outs for the players at high-end hotels where the boys interacted with a number of eminent social personalities. As a result of these steps, the World Cup-bound players are now feeling proud of being national hockey players of Pakistan. We believe they are at their best, and only need need motivation to perform well at the global event,” Tauqir elaborated.

He added, “One positive factor in the present national squad is that the officials and the players are on the same page. This feature is mighty important for any team to succeed”

Asked Pakistan’s pool ‘D’ at the forthcoming World Cup -- in the presence of heavyweights like Germany, Holland plus fast-rising Malaysia -- looked tough and at least one match should be won by the green-shirts to qualify for the pre-quarterfinals, Tauqir said his players would be eyeing victories against all opponents.

“No, not just one match. Rather our target is to win all three matches to top the pool,” the coach vowed. “These [Pakistan] players have beaten Olympic champions Argentina (4-1) at the last Champions Trophy and played a draw against Belgium. So, don’t take Pakistan easy.”

When reminded that Pakistan held an impressive record at Bhubaneswar where they beat traditional rivals India in the 2014 Champions Trophy semi-final and went down fighting against Germany in the final, Tauqir disclosed he had received a good feedback from the current players, who participated in that Champions Trophy.

“The pitch in Bhubaneswar is slow and it does not suit European teams. Therefore, it will be a plus point for Pakistan team,” Tauqir observed.

RIZWAN SR AIMING TO END CAREER ON A HIGH

Meanwhile, Pakistan captain Rizwan Senior said the forthcoming World Cup might be his last, adding he wanted to finish his international career with great memories.

“Our preparations are fine for the World Cup which may be my last. And therefore, I wish to have a memorable end to this event. We have qualified for the World Cup after eight years; [so] we want to make our best efforts to win it,” Rizwan said.

“I have played many times in India where I have always enjoyed my game because of the enthusiastic crowds. Moreover, the [Bhubaneswar] ground has been lucky for us, and considering this factor I hope we would achieve positive results this time around,” added the skipper.

Commenting on a tough-looking pool ‘D’, Rizwan endorsed Tauqir’s views.

“As our head coach has said that no team is unbeatable, we have to give our best and we will give it no matter who is playing against us,” said the captain. “We were hot faovurites for [this year’s] Asian Games title but just missed it out because of missed chances. Now we are trying to bring visible improvement in this area.”

Speaking about the team officials’ role, Rizwan reckoned the incumbent team management was “the best I witnessed during my ten-year international career”.

“I am not saying that the past team managements were not good; they were also good but the way [team manager] Hasan Sardar and Tauqir are working with the players like real elders the entire atmosphere of the team is giving a family look,” he said.

Moreover, Hasan said the team’s morale was high, adding the players was eager to perform at the World Cup. According to a latest report in hockey circular, Pakistan team was the best in skills, he said.

To a question, Hasan disclosed that the dues of the players would be be cleared by Friday, adding the World Cup squad would leave for India via Wagah Border on Saturday morning.

“The dues of the players, varying from Rs600,000 to Rs800,000 [each], will be transferred to the players’ accounts on Friday.”

He said the clearance of dues must be a happy news because the matches were to be played in India and now the players were in best frame of mind to deliver good.

About the team’s chances, Hasan underlined Pakistan in the recent past had won matches against major teams while losing by very narrow margins. “Therefore, like every other outfit, our team is also going to India with [equal] chances of win,” he said, adding “victory against Germany in the event opener will give Pakistan a perfect start.”

The manager, meanwhile, thanked Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah for timely helping the Pakistan Hockey Federation by issuing a grant of Rs100 million, which he said enabled the PHF to clear all its dues.

Published in Dawn, November 23rd, 2018