LAHORE: In a major decision, the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) on Thursday appointed experienced Dutch coach Herman Kruis as the national hockey coaching adviser on a two-year contract.
“The PHF has taken a major step to arrest the decline of Pakistan hockey by appointing Herman Kruis as National Hockey Coaching Adviser for two years,” the federation said in a media statement on Thursday.
The appointment of Kruis, 70, comes in the wake of Pakistan’s disastrous campaign in their maiden participation in the FIH Pro League, where the Green-shirts finished at the bottom of the premier nine-team competition after losing all 16 matches of the 2025-26 season. In a forgettable league campaign that ended in London recently, Pakistan conceded a whopping 79 goals while scoring just 22.
The PHF in its media release said that Kruis, possessing decades of experience, has worked as a coach and consultant with both European and Asian teams.
“Kruis specialises in developing young talent and preparing teams for major international events. As National Hockey Coaching Adviser, he will guide the PHF in strengthening the entire ecosystem of Pakistan hockey,” the PHF statement added.
The PHF said that Kruis would work closely with both the senior and junior national teams and help establish a modern and sustainable high-performance framework for player development. He will also provide technical support alongside specialist coaches and improve talent identification programmes.
According to the federation, Kruis will formally begin his assignment at the World Cup (Aug 15-30) to be co-hosted by Belgium and the Netherlands, where he will work with the current coaching staff during the transition period.
‘MORE WORLD-CLASS COACHES TO BE HIRED’
Talking to Dawn from Islamabad, PHF president Mohyuddin Ahmad Wani said that the appointment of Kruis marks the first step in its comprehensive strategy to revive Pakistan hockey.
“More world-class coaches and specialists will be hired in the coming months,” he said.
“The PHF is also in the process of hiring a sports psychologist from South Africa and a physical trainer from Australia,” he added. “We are trying our best to overcome this difficult phase of Pakistan hockey by bringing in experienced professionals from around the world.”
Wani expressed confidence that Kruis’ experience will benefit Pakistan in restoring the country’s glory in its national sport.
“He holds vast international coaching experience, and it is encouraging that he was also interested in working with Pakistan hockey,” he said, adding that the PHF shortlisted eight, nine candidates for the position before eventually selecting Kruis after a comprehensive evaluation.
After the World Cup, the Dutch coach will lead the planning and preparations of the senior and junior national teams for the Asian Games, scheduled for September-October, and other major international events.
The PHF chief noted that Kruis had previously worked with India’s senior and junior teams, besides coaching in the Netherlands and various professional leagues around the world.
Here it is pertinent to mention that the PHF a couple of weeks ago appointed Tahir Zaman as director of High Performance. Now with the latest appointment of Kruis, the responsibilities of both the officials seem to overlap.
However, Wani in this regard clarified the situation.
“Tahir will assist Kruis but that does not mean that Tahir will be working under him. Rather, both will work together [as a coaching team],” the PHF chief explained.
Commenting on the players of the national team, Wani admitted that they lacked mental resilience.
“The players come under pressure after conceding a goal [in an international match], which often leads to them conceding more goals,” he said.
When asked about the future of Manzoor-ul-Hasan Senior, national senior team’s incumbent head coach under whose supervision Pakistan played the final leg of the Pro League in Belgium and England, Wani said he would meet him in the coming days after receiving his report.
“At present, Manzoor remains part of the set-up. Tahir, Kruis and Manzoor are working together as one team for the betterment of Pakistan hockey,” he maintained.
When asked about the inclusion of teams from women’s academies in the National Women’s Hockey Championship, for the first time, which began in Islamabad on Thursday, Wani said that the PHF had initially planned to allow only five teams.
“However, we received an overwhelming response from women’s hockey organisers across the country. Therefore, we decided to allow all eligible teams to participate. As a result, the number of participating teams has increased to 16,” he said.
‘Federation funds surge to 400 million Rupees’
Meanwhile, Wani said that the federation’s funds have now reached Rs400 million, emphasising that this amount will be utilised entirely for training and travel expenses.
According to the PHF president, when he assumed charge, the federation’s account held a meagre Rs2 million.
“Through relentless efforts and collaboration with government and private sector sponsors, we successfully elevated the funds to Rs400 million,” he disclosed.
Published in Dawn, July 3rd, 2026