Sawant’s appointment criticised

KARACHI: Criticising the appointment of Sanjay Sawant as Pakistan’s snooker coach, former world amateur champion Mohammad Yousaf said that the Indian cueist won a national champion just once and was not a good choice as coach.

Sawant, appointed for the Asian Games and the World Championship, is awaiting a work permit from the interior ministry before arriving in the country and hold a training camp from October 1.

Yousaf, a former national champion, said that Sawant was appointed only because others like Alok Kumar and Yasin Merchant, with far better performances, would not come to Pakistan. “To be honest, Sawant was the only available option,” Yousaf told The Express Tribune. “I’ve seen his game and he’s just okay. There were better options. But he’s very cooperative and has a cool head. This quality makes him a good coach for our players, who at times, are very temperamental.”

Meanwhile, the former top-ranked player added that there was a need for a permanent coach since the players should be trained throughout the year and not just one month prior to an event as big as the Asian Games, where Pakistan is expected to bag a medal after Mohammad Sajjad’s win in the Korat Cup in Thailand.

Pakistan number two Sajjad welcomed the appointment and said there was a need for formal training. “We need formal training. Only then we can compete at the top level. It’s all self-help as far as my game is concerned.”

Published in The Express Tribune, August 27^th, 2010.