Hockey selectors want trials before Azlan Shah Cup

The Pakistan hockey team will hope for a repeat performance at the Azlan Shah Cup to be held in May.

KARACHI: Pakistan hockey’s chief selector Hanif Khan wants the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) to hold open trials before the Azlan Shah Cup in May since the selection committee was not present at the 2011 National Hockey Championship that took place last month.

Khan, who was retained by the PHF as chairman of the selection committee until the 2012 Olympics, said that after picking the probables for the under-19 team, his second assignment of the year will be to form the squad for Azlan Shah Cup to be held in Malaysia.

“I’m looking forward to the trials because nobody observed the players during the National Hockey Championship,” Khan told The Express Tribune.

“We don’t know how the players are performing on the field. I’ve recommended to the federation that they should hold trials in April. This will not only give departmental players a chance to prove themselves but it’ll also give us a chance to assess how our seniors are maintaining their fitness since the Asian Games gold last November.”

According to Khan, the understanding between the coach, captain and the selectors makes all the difference during and after the selection process.

He denied reports of disagreement between the selection committee and the coach since, according to him, the selectors always take the coach’s opinion in consideration before finalising the squad.

Meanwhile, Khan also stressed upon the importance of fitness – especially for the senior members of the squad – for the Azlan Shah Cup as well as other international commitments during the year.

“I’ve said it time and again that I don’t choose players on the basis of their seniority. All I’m looking for are players who can produce results for Pakistan.

“I’m not sure whether the PHF will agree on the open-trial suggestion or not, but it will break the mind-set of the players who assume their place in squad is guaranteed.”

Published in The Express Tribune, March 2^nd, 2011.