Disappointed hockey fans

If the hockey management really wants to change the fate of Pakistani hockey then, practical steps should be taken.

Hockey is the national game of Pakistan which was followed religiously by all Pakistanis till some years ago. But now, enthusiasm for the sport seems to have been wiped out from the hearts of Pakistanis. Witnessing a Hockey World Cup and several other international hockey events without the participation of greenshirts is definitely not something that would sustain the love of Pakistani hockey enthusiasts.

Three Asian countries, India, Malaysia and South Korea, are taking part in the event but to everyone’s utter disappointment, the four-time world champions, Pakistan, are sitting out, which is a great shame for me at least.

For the first time in the history of hockey, the four-time world champion did not qualify for the World Cup – a source of shame for every Pakistani. The greenshirts had  two chances to restore their lost reputation in hockey, one in the Asia Cup and again in the World Hockey League. Unfortunately, they were unable to perform well in either.

There may be some sleepy efforts under way to improve Pakistan’s hockey performance, but it seems that it is now too late. Our sports bodies are less interested in training sportsmen and promoting games and are usually busy squabbling over their internal issues. They forget that the hopes, heartbeats and ambitions of several people in Pakistan are suffering owing to their negligence.

The new Pakistan Hockey Federation management seems to be working hard after Pakistan lost the chance to participate in the Hockey World Cup and Commonwealth Games. The training camps are working on the new plan of paying attention to the physical fitness of the players along with the game play, but I think goalkeeping and penalty-corner are the areas that should be given top priority. Along with this, for better results, these camps should be held every six months or at least four times a year.

If the management actually bothered to overcome the ‘mismanagement’ in these areas, it is only matter of time when results will start to pour in thick and fast. But for all this, sincere efforts are required. Already too much precious time has been wasted on experiments. If the hockey management really wants to change the fate of Pakistani hockey then, instead of talking and making tall claims, practical steps should be taken. Or else, the nation should be prepared for more misery.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 9^th, 2014.