KARACHI, July 12: Pakistan junior hockey team manager Muhammad Shafique on Tuesday blamed penalty corner strikers for team’s debacle in the Junior World Cup in Rotterdam (Holland).

“Our boys failed to execute the plan prepared by the coach and poor conversion by penalty corner specialists let the team badly down,” he said on his return from Rotterdam where Pakistan finished poor seventh.

He said getting 40 odd penalty corners mean that forwards created a number of inroads into opponents’ defence but penalty corners strikers were unable to avail them.

“We are thoroughly disappointed with the performance of the team and I have no words to express my dejection,” he lamented.

He partially took the blame for team’s bad showing in Holland.

He said Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) provided them full backing in all respects, adding “but we failed to live up to their expectations,” he maintained.

Pakistan earned more than 40 short corners but Imran Warsi and Imran Khan’s conversion rate was not up to the mark.

“Having good track record in four-nations contest and then in Azlan Shah Cup team management was expecting a lot from two Imrans but they failed to deliver.”

He, however, refused to accept that Pakistan’s hockey future is bleak after a setback in Rotterdam.

Muhammad Shafique, who replaced Jahangir Butt and Col (retd) Abdur Rauf as junior team manager said Pakistan juniors peaked at wrong time in Malaysia where they finished second in Azlan Shah Cup a month before the Junior World Cup.

“That could be one of the factors of our disappointing performance in Rotterdam,” he pointed out.

He said he would submit his report to PHF within a week’s time. —APP