Heads to roll in Pakistan Heads to roll in Pakistan

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[RehanButt]

Karachi, Aug. 26: The Sports Ministry has asked former Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali to step down as president of the National Hockey Federation and announced that a comprehensive inquiry would be held into Pakistan’s Olympic debacle at the Beijing Games.

The Ministry said now plans would be formulated keeping in mind future events. Meanwhile, former Olympian Khawaja Zakauddin has also resigned as the chief coach and manager of the Pakistan hockey team after their disappointing show.

Pakistan put up their worst performance in the Olympic Games finishing eighth after losing out to Australia, Great Britain, Netherlands and New Zealand.

With India not qualifying for the Beijing Games, Pakistan was the only South Asian team in hockey competition, in which Germany bagged the gold medal.

Zakauddin, who returned home with the squad on Monday night, said he had made his mind to step down as he was devastated and hurt by his team’s performance. "I don’t want to get into any blame game but the fact is we just didn’t play to the potential despite having a team that should have come on the podium," Zakauddin said.

"We have weaknesses in different areas and we need to work on that. I have stepped down after accepting responsibility for the poor show and to pave way for a new coach," Zakauddin said.

Sources, however, said the existence of different groups within the team was one of the primary reasons for the downfall of the team. Besides, the players and even coach Naved Alam were responsible for indiscipline in the team.

Source: http://www.fieldhockey.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5493&Itemid=1

[Twister]

Unfortunately, Pakistan hockey is in a complete mess.  Of course, it would help if they:

1. appointed a coach and manager for longer than just one tournament at a time
2. based appointments on ability, rather than handing out coaching appointments to the next ex-Olympian or retired Brigadier in line
3. Picked the team more than two weeks before the tournament
4. Stopped insisting that senior players playing in professional European leagues go through month long training camps to "prove their fitness" and accepted that they need to work with their best players over long periods, and support them overseas
5. maintain some continuity in selection, rather than holding mass training camps to pick a team for every tournament from 30-40 probables.
6. Involve the world class players they do have who have experience of the game outside Pakistan in the coaching and management set up.
7. Set realistic and long term expectations for the players rather than insisting that the team can win every tournament, then complaining and sacking everyone when they inevitably fall short
8. Look at the fact that certain players e.g Saqlain are repeatedly cited and punished for on pitch bad behaviour and either deal with them, or drop them, rather than blaming the FIH / umpires / European leagues!
9. stopped blaming the umpires for every tournament defeat

I love Pakistan hockey and all they can bring to the world scene, but they are in danger of following India into the mire if they don't act positively!

[John]

you make it sound so simple

[asrar737]

you make it sound so simple

Good suggestion. But the main problem is elsewhere - lack of grass root hockey in this country. And the sport is dying here quickly.

Soon Pakistan will be a past entity in world hockey.

[asrar737]

5. maintain some continuity in selection, rather than holding mass training camps to pick a team for every tournament from 30-40 probables.

Thats the main problem here! 30-40 players!!!

[hockeyaddict]

IMHO... I think the other problem is that sometimes they do not select the best players for the job but rather someone who knows someone will be picked...

I think once they get a coach and manager that is an outsider that won’t be affected by politics of the organisation and give them sole rights to who gets picked then and only then will we succeed again.

Maybe just maybe they should concentrate on Grass roots hockey too and hold several camps that the national coach attends to select the best players to go on to the final selection camps.

Some great points made by Twister they maybe simple but to be honest with you why should politics come into it (simpler said than done I know) but in an ideal situation that’s what’s needed.

[asrar737]

Maybe just maybe they should concentrate on Grass roots hockey too and hold several camps that the national coach attends to select the best players to go on to the final selection camps.

Nobody is ready to play hockey in this country now. They will go for cricket and cricket only!