KARACHI, Nov 5: Pakistan hockey must make urgent effort to lift its recent miserable performance from the doldrums, officials and former Olympians said Tuesday.

“Pakistan hockey is in a difficult situation and at the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) we are trying to find solutions,” PHF secretary Brigadier Musarratullah Khan said.

He pointed fingers at the elimination of school and club hockey across Pakistan, inadequate physical infrastructure and a lack of technical expertise for the sorry decline of the three-time Olympic and four-time world champions.

The most recent humiliation for the national team came during last month’s Asian Games in Busan, South Korea, when it lost to Malaysia in the bronze-medal play off.

It was the first time the seven-time champions have ever left the games medalless and prompted nationwide criticism of the team and PHF, as well as serious soul-searching over what went wrong.

Head of the PHF General Mohammad Aziz Khan said resignations by officials would not help, hosing down calls for his own stepdown.

“If someone holds the misconception that PHF officials are resigning, they can forget it because it’s no solution,” he declared.

Manzoor Hussain Atif, a former captain who now heads the International Hockey Federation’s Rules Board, quashed complaints that rule changes implemented in recent years were disadvantaging Pakistan.

“We can’t blame rule-changes because India is currently world junior champion and have seen a revival in their fortunes,” he said.

Many of the rule changes are said by some to favour the European style of play.

“Our players have a confused concept of play on the field. We need some extreme short-term measures to save our hockey,” Atif said.

Pakistan’s next major tournament will be the Azlan Shah Cup in Malaysia in March 2003, followed by the annual Champions Trophy in the Netherlands in August.

“For the next two years our hockey can’t afford to lose against New Zealand, Malaysia and Argentina,” Atif added.—AFP