PHF holds meeting with Dutch coach

LAHORE: The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) held talks with Holland coach Michel van den Heuvel in Lahore in a bid to convince him to join the federation as Pakistan’s national coach.

While the PHF has been in talks with various foreign coaches, it has not been successful in landing an individual due to the deteriorating law-and-order situation in the country. The Express Tribune has learnt that the meeting between the federation and the PHF took place yesterday following telephone discussions that had taken place earlier.

The PHF Secretary Asif Bajwa confirmed that the search for a foreign coach is still on and a decision would be made by June 10.

“Things would be clear only after June 10 and I hope that we would be able to bring in at least one foreign coach for the position,” said Bajwa.

Pakistan appointed former junior coach Khwaja Junaid as the national coach for the Azlah Shah Cup that took place in Malaysia last month. Junaid, however, was relieved of his duties and has taken charge of the junior team once again.

Published in the Express Tribune, June 5^th, 2010.