Coach suggests shrink to spur hockey team

Players lacked mental toughness, says Manzoorul Hassan.

KARACHI: After Pakistan’s poor finish at the Junior Hockey World Cup, chief coach and manager Manzoorul Hassan stressed on the need of a psychologist to improve the squad’s form.

All hopes were pinned on the colts following the senior team’s failure to qualify for the 2014 World Cup. However, the team’s ninth-place finish in New Delhi quashed the aspirations of hockey fans in the country.

Although, Pakistan defeated hosts India in the ninth position play-off, Hassan termed the team’s overall performance ‘unsatisfactory and disappointing’ on their return.



“I was not expecting such a finish,” said the dejected head coach, adding that had hoped the team would do well, especially after winning against their senior counterparts in a practice match.

“We had prepared a lot,” said the Olympian as he referred to the practice games prior to the tournament.

He said the squad had been in good form, but once the event got underway the greenshirts lost their rhythm. Hassan added that their practice in New Delhi had gone well, but Pakistan had failed to survive under pressure.

“My assessment is that the players lack mental strength and there is a need for therapy which can prepare them for such major tournaments,” he confided while talking to The Express Tribune.

“I only had three months to work with them and I am hopeful I will be given another chance in the same capacity,” said Hassan, eager to prove his worth.

Meanwhile, captain Umar Bhutta laid blame of the failure on the umpiring in the crucial group match against Germany where the greenshirts were hammered 1-6, calling some of the decisions ‘wrong’.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 17^th, 2013.

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