Pakistan were thrashed 4-0 by South Korea. – Photo courtesy AzlanShahCup.com
Pakistan were thrashed 4-0 by South Korea. – Photo courtesy AzlanShahCup.com

LAHORE: Former Olympian Manzoor Junior reckons that South Korea’s 4-0 humbling of Pakistan has laid to bare the green-shirts’ weaknesses ahead of the Olympics.

“The South Koreans have exposed the weaknesses of the side which is preparing to compete in the Olympics which are now just two months away,” Manzoor told reporters here on Tuesday.

“So far, Pakistan have conceded nine goals in three games which is a clear indication of how fragile our defensive line is.

“After the opening victory against Argentina [4-2], the team should prepared for greater tests and what has panned out since is alarming.”

Pakistan lost to New Zealand 3-1 in their second game of the tournament on Sunday.

Manzoor added that even the inclusion of Shakeel Abbasi and Rehan Butt in the national side would be of no help.

“The presence of Shakeel and Rehan will not improve the team performance as both of them are past their prime,” he said.

Manzoor is of the view that Pakistan’s former Dutch coach Michel van den Heuvel saved his skin by creating situations that forced the PHF to sideline him and eventually it will be Akhtar Rasool who will face the consequences despite having had very little time in-charge of the team.

“Although Akhtar, his assistant Khawaja Junaid and goalkeeping coach Shahid Ali Khan have been working with the national team for several days, no one can bring immediate changes in such a shot period of time that they have had at the helm,” he said.

Manzoor also said that the decision to appoint Sohail Abbas as the skipper was a wrong one as he too is a spent force.

Meanwhile, national junior team coach Danish Kaleem expressed his disappointment over the humiliating defeat citing the newly-introduced blue turf as the reason for the team’s lacklustre performances.

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