LAHORE: The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has hired Richard Snitcher as drag-flick coach for the national team’s ongoing Europe tour which ends on May 4.

The greenshirts during the said tour will play six matches against three countries, starting with the first-leg of two-match series against World No.3 Netherlands starting in Breda on Tuesday.

Earlier, the PHF, which claims itself to be cash-strapped, hired the services of Dutch Siegfried Aikman as head coach, Australia’s Denial Berry as physical trainer and Bob Johan Veldhof of the Netherlands as goalkeeping coach.

The PHF is targeting the 2023 World Cup being held in Bhubaneswar, India. To achieve this aim, Pakistan need to end up among top three at next month’s Asia Cup being staged in Jakarta.

Pakistan’s ongoing tour of Europe is being considered as a chance to test all the bases of the team before they compete in the Asia Cup.

After playing two matches in Holland, Pakistan will play one game against World No.2 Belgium and three against ninth-ranked Spain.

Pakistan currently are at a poor 18th spot and it is likely they may face big defeats at the hands of their European opponents which are among world’s best teams.

Besides the foreign coaches, local coaching staff including Khawaja Junaid, Waseem Ahmed, Ajmal Khan Lodhi, Syed Sameer Hussain and Mohammad Aslam are also part of the team management.

In a press statement issued by a PHF spokesman from Belgium where the team ended its three-day training and was leaving for Breda to play the matches, said Snitcher had said he had given some tips to the team’s drag-flickers and hoped they would do better in the coming matches.

According to Snitcher, the Pakistan players had the talent in penalty-corner conversion adding they were striving to hone their skills.

Speaking on the occasion, Veldhof also hoped the goalies would give better performance. In the past, it may be mentioned here, Pakistan lacked in goalkeeping department.

Aikman had said special focus was being given on coaching of the goalkeepers, which was a weak area of the team.

Pakistan will play Holland in the second match on April 27. The next match is scheduled against Belgium on April 29. On May 1, Pakistan will reach Spain to play three matches scheduled for May 2, 3 and 4.

The team will return home on May 6 to resume the training camp, till the departure for Jakarta to play the Asia Cup.

Published in Dawn, April 26th, 2022