KARACHI, Feb 7: Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) began a futile excercise on Friday as the selectors, after staying away from the national championship, woke up to select the probables for the training camp, in two days.

PHF selected 129 probables after qualifying round of the 50th national championship, while 82 more were chosen after final round which concluded on Thursday.

Apart from the chief selector Akhtar Rasool, members of the selection committee, Hassan Sardar, Saleem Nazim, Col Shahid Jaffery (retd) watched the trials at UBL Sports Complex.

However, members Saeed Khan, and Shahnaz Sheikh were missing on the first day of the trials and are not expected to join their colleagues even on Saturday.

Ironically, neither the whole selection committee was present during the qualifiers in Lahore and Peshawar nor it bothered to watch the matches of the final round in Karachi.

Only Karachi-based Hassan saw the final round, Col Shahid came after the pool matches, while other selectors, including their chief, opted to stay away from the premier contest in which no less than 40 matches were played.

It is incomprehensible what the selectors would achieve from watching more than 200 youngsters during two days when they missed a golden opportunity of watching the cream of hockey at the national competition.

Meanwhile, most of the players called up for the trials have avoided to report for the trials which shows they don’t have faith on the selectors. Another reason of players’ lack of interest could be because they are not being given travel and daily allowances by the PHF.

Of more than 200, so far only 102 players reported. About 35 shortlisted probables for the national trials will be announced on Saturday. However, Akhtar said those who did not report on Friday would be considered on the concluding day.

Wapda’s Rehan Butt has skipped the trials as he was nursing a thigh injury he suffered during the national championship semifinal against PIA. Rehan limped off the field against HBL in the final when the injury worsened.

According to the striker, who has been advised two-week rest by the doctor, he had submitted his medical report and would appear in the final trials to be held later this month. The national camp for Azlan Shah Cup is scheduled from Feb 14 here at Steel Mills Complex.

Asked whether Rehan would be considered for the final trials, Akhtar’s reply was bewildering.

“Rehan has played the final round of the championship, and he is a current national team player and since now he is injured, therefore, he could be directly included in the final trials,” he said.