Eyes on Europe tour, World Cup: ‘Hockey-5 to have direct bearing on int’l tours’

Junior players, coach hail fast-paced tournament’s stamina-building benefits

KARACHI: Youngsters and coaches taking part in Hockey-5 Championship at the National Hockey Stadium in Lahore believe that the ongoing fast-paced tournament will be beneficial for their upcoming Europe tour and Junior Hockey World Cup.

According to national junior team captain Azfar Yaqoob, the Hockey-5 tournament has increased the players’ stamina, which was lacking in the previous competitions.

“This is a fast-paced game; you don’t get a second to miss,” Yaqoob told The Express Tribune. “Every player has to keep moving and keep his eyes on the ball and the opponents, unlike normal hockey.”

Former junior captain Dilber Hussain, one of the key players in the competition due to his prolific goalscoring exploits, observed that the format is easy and hard at the same time. “Easy for those who have built their stamina, while difficult for those whose physical fitness is not up to the mark,” said Hussain. “However, this will definitely help the players in the camp to prepare for the tours.”





Head coach and manager Tahir Zaman said the novel nature of the hockey being played in the tournament will go a long way to attract young and upcoming players.

“I’m confident this initiative will garner considerable attention among the young talent of the country,” he said. “Moreover, the juniors have been placed with the senior players in this contest, which will give them the required experience and motivation, which will be effective in their forthcoming tours.”



Zaman added, “The selected players will be called to a two-month training camp after Ramazan to prepare for the European tour, where they would possibly be playing against the top nations before the Junior World Cup in December.”

Published in The Express Tribune, June 23^rd, 2016.

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