Hockey camp: Four specialist coaches hired to train players

National team preparing for upcoming international events.

KARACHI: The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has appointed four specialist coaches for the ongoing training camp at the Naseer Bunda Hockey Stadium in Islamabad for the preparation of upcoming international assignments.

The team’s international tour includes participating in the World Hockey League, which will also serve as the 2016 Rio Olympics qualifiers.

“We have hired four coaches for all positions at the training camp to concentrate on the weakness of every position and improve their skills,” head coach Shahnaz Sheikh told The Express Tribune.

Olympian Tahir Zaman, who was himself a forward in his playing days, has been appointed as a forwards’ specialist and has been directed to train the team members to play attacking hockey.

“Zaman knows well how to train the players according to the requirements of modern hockey,” said Sheikh.

The other assistants are Olympian Nasir Ali for deep defence, Shafqat Malik for midfielders and Abu Zarr for goalkeepers and video analysis.

The head coach added that the PHF management, along with the coaches and some legends of hockey, has been invited by President Mamnoon Hussain on March 31 for a meeting. “We have already missed the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup due to lack of funds, we don’t want to miss upcoming tours,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, March  28^th,  2015.

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