Hockey: Junaid predicts bright future

Says hockey team will do well under new panel of coaches.

KARACHI:

Olympian Khwaja Junaid, who ‘stepped down’ as coach of the Pakistan hockey team in the aftermath of the 2012 London Olympics, has given a thumbs-up to the new panel of coaches, hoping that a bright future was in store for the Greenshirts under them.

Junaid was replaced by former chief selector Hanif Khan — the only major change within the team management following Pakistan’s failure to win a medal in London where they finished seventh.

However, Junaid said he was satisfied with his tenure with the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF), which started following the team’s last-place finish at the 2010 World Cup in New Delhi, the country’s wowrst show in the event.

The Olympian remained with the team management since then and served as chief coach, manager and assistant coach.

‘Asian Games triumph
biggest achievement’

Junaid, who was part of Pakistan’s World Cup winning team in 1994, said the team’s gold medal triumph at the Asian Games in Guangzhou two years back was his biggest achievement as coach.

“We won that medal when the team was down,” Junaid told The Express Tribune. “It was a huge breakthrough for the Pakistan side and the most memorable moment for me as coach. It was courtesy of that triumph that we qualified for the Olympics and the Champions Trophy. Then the team also reached the final of the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup last year under me.”

Junaid added that the team was on the path of progress under him.

“Coaches have guidelines for working on the players. We have figured out the new pool of players.”

Meanwhile, Junaid placed his confidence in the new team management that comprises head coach Akhtar Rasool, coach Hanif Khan besides Ahmed Alam and Ajmal Khan as assistant coaches.

“It’s a formidable team of coaches. Akhtar and Hanif are great players of the past. Their experience along with the learning of modern day coaches – Alam and Ajmal  – will get good results.

“I foresee a bright future for the team under the new team management.”

 ‘I stepped down myself’

Speaking on his tenure, Junaid negated the impression that he was sacked by the PHF in the Olympics fall-out.

“I requested the PHF to release me. I stepped down myself due to personal commitments. I am thankful to the federation for accepting my resignation.

“I am ready to work in future subject to my availability in the given role.”

Junaid also applauded the PHF’s step to abolish the selection committee.

“This practice has been exercised in the top hockey nations. The team management has to marshal players on the field and it deserves to choose their own players and be responsible for the performance. We’ve adopted this practice after them but it’s still not too late and I hope it will yield good results for the team.”

performance

Highs and lows during tenure

2010: Asian Games gold medal in Guangzhou

2011: Tri-nation gold medal in Australia

2011: Azlan Shah Cup silver medal

2011: Asian Champions Trophy silver medal

2011: Seventh-place finish at Champions Trophy

2011: Last-place at Rabo Trophy in Netherlands

2012: Seventh-place finish at London Olympics

Published in The Express Tribune, October 27^th, 2012.