KARACHI, Feb 19: Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) on Wednesday showed a lack of professionalism, announcing the date for national trials but did not feel necessary to intimate the team management about the programme.

The training camp has been set up here at Steel Mills Sports Complex since Feb 15 for the March 22-31 Azlan Shah Cup in Ipoh, Malaysia.

A lack of communication between the Lahore-based PHF headquarters and senior team officials in Karachi is evident given the fact they are not aware about the trials.

When contacted neither the manager nor the coach knew about the Feb 24 trials, although the PHF had already circulated its official press release to the media.

“I think the trials will be held either on Feb 24 or 25. But nothing is yet confirm. The PHF will let us know in the due course of time,” manager, Col Shahid Jaffery said.

While Col Shahid had tentative programme about the trials, coach Shahnaz Sheikh was in complete in darkness.

“I don’t know about the confirm date of the trials. I have no idea when the trials will be held,” Shahnaz said.

The current situation shows how the hockey affairs are being run and how serious and professional is the PHF hierarchy.

The saddest part of the whole scenario is that Shahnaz, who has the major responsibility of training and selecting the squad, has not been intimated by the PHF about the trials. Timely intimation about the schedule of the trials helps the coach to prepare training schedule of the probables — a factor which has been ignored by the PHF.

Meanwhile, according to Col Shahid, Ghazanfar, one of the three missing probables, finally contacted PHF to intimate he had been suffering from pneumonia and was still in England.

“Ghazanfar has gone to see his sister and brother-in-law who have been injured in an accident in England. He has been asked to join the camp before the trials. But possibility of his joining the camp is little as he had informed us it will be difficult,” the manager said.

Another probable, Jawaid Iqbal, was expected to join the camp by tomorrow (Thursday) the manager said and added injured Asim Chohan’s might not report.