Rebuilding hockey? Sardar set to take up chief selector’s post

Olympian to replace Islahuddin in new PHF set-up

KARACHI: Olympian Hassan Sardar has been chosen to lead the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) selection committee by newly appointed president Brig (retd) Khalid Sajjad Khokhar, with an official announcement to be made later this week.

Upon assuming charge, the PHF president has decided to make major changes in the management and the federation has decided to form a quality selection committee, comprising four members instead of five.

Sardar has been named the next chief selector and will be assisted by three other former players. The post was left vacant after Olympian Islahuddin Siddique resigned from his post following the national team’s poor performance at the Hockey World League (HWL).



“I have many plans lined up for the resurgence of hockey,” Sardar told The Express Tribune. “The need of the hour is to acquire talent from schools for the junior level. The senior teams just need the right combination for respective tournaments, so the formation of a useful junior team is the key area to focus on right now. The larger pool of players we have, the greater will are our chances be to form a good national team.”

He added that regional associations should be made stronger with individuals who are willing to work for hockey rather than pandering to politics.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 1^st,  2015.

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