ISLAMABAD, May 9: Former hockey Olympian Mansoor Ahmed feels that Pakistan were in a really difficult position with the World Cup looming. "The morale of the team is low and it is not clear what changes the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) plans to make in the management," Mansoor told Dawn on Tuesday.

"A fourth place finish in the World Cup qualifying tournament in China has indeed complicated matters and pinning hopes on this current lot of players would be asking too much," said Mansoor, a member of Pakistan's World Cup winning team of 1994.

He pointed out that it would require some kind of a magic potion to inculcate that fighting spirit in the team which was clearly lacking in China.

"The way things stand today, I foresee our team finishing fifth or sixth at the World Cup in Germany."

Under current coach Asif Bajwa, Pakistan's only victory of some significance came at the Rabo Bank tournament in Holland last year.

But the performance of the side in China, an event they were expected to win, left everyone shocked.

With the PHF pondering bringing in a new man, Mansoor felt that crucial time was being wasted.

"Everything should have been in place post-China."

Mansoor, who represented Pakistan at three Olympiads between 1988 and 1996 as goalkeeper, said that whosoever was appointed as the manager or coach will have to work overtime to put all the pieces together.

"The ideal thing would be to name a senior man of the stature of either Khawaja Zakauddin or Islahuddin Siddiqui on top of coach Asif Bajwa."

Stressing his point he said doing so would merge well with PHF's plans of maintaining continuity in team management.

Adjudged the world's best goalkeeper in 1994, Mansoor was critical of the team playing with four forwards with captain Mohammad Saqlain in as a fourth half and attacking forward.

"I think playing with five forwards and three half backs should work well for the team."

Pakistan have not won a major title since their Champions Trophy and World Cup double in 1994.