‘Minor changes won’t help Pakistan hockey’

Complete overhaul is needed, says Olympian Shahnaz.

KARACHI:

Shahnaz Sheikh has reiterated calls for a complete overhaul of the team and the management after former captain Tahir Zaman was appointed to a consultant coaching role, in what was the first move by the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) following a poor show at the London Olympics.

While the PHF is yet to make an official announcement, it was confirmed that Olympian Tahir will be given the role of coaching consultant for national teams including the senior, junior and women’s outfits.

The 43-year-old, who was part of the 1994 World Cup winning team, is an International Hockey Federation (FIH) qualified coach and has served Egypt and Azerbaijan besides having a stint with the Greenshirts a decade ago.

By employing Tahir, the PHF has dismissed the notion of a complete overhaul.

However, legendary forward Shahnaz, who is a core part of the Olympians’ campaign to remove the current PHF set-up, said the decision will not bring desirable results.

“I wish Tahir all the best,” Shahnaz told The Express Tribune. “The decision might have been taken keeping in mind the best interest of the team but just bringing in individuals will not help our hockey.

“There is a need for a complete overhaul and a team comprising competent officials is the need of the hour,” said Shahnaz before adding that he had no harsh feelings after Tahir’s u-turn who was previously associated with the protesting Olympians.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 13^th, 2012.