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LAHORE While the manager of the Pakistan hockey team, which earned the worst-ever 12th position in the World Cup, says that he does not know how to defend the boys' poor show, the chief coach has asked for an apology from the nation.
Talking to reporters at the Lahore airport soon after the team's arrival from New Delhi, India, Manager Asif Bajwa and Chief Coach Shahid Ali Khan failed to provide any reason for the debacle.
“Yes it is our worst-ever defeat, which none of us can really defend. I will talk to PHF President Qasim Zia after which he can do whatever he wants to do with me,” said Asif Bajwa.
Keeping in view the team's performance during the past one year, Bajwa as well as the other team officials had remained optimistic for Pakistans better results in the mega event. Pakistan earned the right to feature in the World Cup after winning the qualifiers. The past year also saw the team reaching the finals of the Asia Cup and the Champions Trophy.
But everyone was surprised when they even lost to lowly-ranked India, South Africa and even Canada in the World Cup to end up at the bottom.
“It is a difficult time for hockey but strong nations always pull through such situations. We should all work together to lift the team's morale at this crunch time,” he said.
Meanwhile Coach Shahid Ali Khan said “I want to apologise to the entire nation for not being able to measure up to their expectations.
“I will not show any hesitation in accepting responsibility for the defeat. Just like we have been taking credit of the team's good show in the past, we have to accept our failure, too,” he added.
Shahid dispelled the impression that Asif Bajwa, who is also the PHF secretary, had been taking unilateral decisions.
“We made all decisions after consulting each other and it will be wrong to say that Bajwa has been enjoying an upper hand,” the coach said.
He said former Olympians like Islahuddin Siddiqi, Khalid Mahmood and other seniors were only criticising the team management to get some place in the federation for themselves. He said that they had been working with the PHF for the last 30 years and wanted to be a part of it again.
Soon after the national team lost the last match to Canada to finish 12th in the mega event, the PHF president dissolved the entire team management and the selection committee, headed by Hasan Sardar.
Shahid, who is no longer the team's coach, said that the PHF had provided every facility to the players, which included offering them central contracts. He advised the former players not to hatch any conspiracy against the federation. Criticising Olympian Shahbaz Senior, he said that the former Olympian wasted no time in leaving the PHF in this difficult time even after enjoying various benefits from its current management.
“Shahbaz is working on an agenda to bring in Tahir Zaman as the next coach,” he pointed out.
Shahid said that he would be handing over his report to the PHF in the next couple of days. The players' decision of retiring, he said, was something which they did on their own.
Meanwhile, Rehan Butt, a key player, said that all the players decided to retire as they felt bad about performing so badly. Captain Zeeshan Ashraf did not accompany the team, which flew back home instead of returning via the Wagah Border, the route through which they had left for New Delhi.
A demonstration was also held at the airport against the national team's poor performance. The people demanded the immediate removal of all the PHF officials.
