Hockey: Coach, youngsters face Shakeel’s wrath

Team lacked adequate planning, youngsters not up to the mark, says former captain.

KARACHI: Former Pakistan captain and senior member of the national hockey team Shakeel Abbasi has blamed coach Michel van dan Heuvel’s failure to devise backup strategies, calling it the key reason behind the team’s dismal Champions Trophy show.

Abbasi, who led Pakistan on the tour of Australia in the absence of the injured Mohammad Imran, dismissed rumours that power-struggle within the camp was the reason why the team finished seventh in the eight-team event. He also blamed the youngsters’ failure to fill the gap left by the snub handed out to seniors for the thrashing received in Auckland.

‘Exhaustion a reason behind our show’

“We didn’t lose because we were a bad team,” Abbasi told The Express Tribune. “We played in Australia and were exhausted by the time Champions Trophy came around. The scheduling should’ve been done better but I also believe that the coach should’ve guided us better. We beat Australia last month and they thrashed us this time round. It means that we weren’t trying new things. They marked us really well and we were found lacking.”

Abbasi also called for the return of former captains Zeeshan Ashraf and Rehan Butt if the team was to do better in the London Olympics. Ashraf, according to Abbasi, was a ‘fine defender’ while Butt was missed as the key forward.

“The team depended on the seniors and we never got any rest. The youngsters failed to fill the gap and that’s not an encouraging sign.”

Seniors face the axe

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) is considering dropping under-performing senior players for the series against China as a result of the Champions Trophy debacle.

PHF officials revealed that poor performance, along with their attitude towards the  team management and discipline on the tour, remained primary reasons behind the cuts. According to officials, goal-keeper Salman Akbar as well as Abbasi and Waseem Ahmed faced the axe. Sohail Abbas is already out for six weeks after breaking his jaw in one of the matches.

PHF Secretary Asif Bajwa, however, refused to share details and denied the federation had decided to drop the seniors. “We have to replace Abbas due to his injury but we haven’t planned any other changes,” said Bajwa. “The squad will assemble on the 18th for a day-long practice session before the series kicks off in Karachi.”

Bajwa also confirmed that an executive board meeting was scheduled for December 25, during which the team management will present their reports on the Champions Trophy. (With additional input by shahzada usman)

Published in The Express Tribune, December 15^th, 2011.