Rahid Mehmood, Muhammad Rizwan laud European methods

Pakistan hockey players help Oranje Zwart win final of European Hockey League

KARACHI: Veterans Rashid Mehmood and Muhammad Rizwan Sr, who are a part of the Pakistan hockey team, believe it is essential to play with high-ranked professional players in the game to be able to compete against the best teams in the world.

Mehmood and Rizwan recently returned from a five-month season with Oranje Zwart, a Netherlands club, with whom they played and won the final of the European Hockey League (EHL).

The EHL is one of the top professional field hockey leagues in the world, where 24 clubs from Europe compete for the top spot. Mehmood and Rizwan have been with Oranje Zwart — former club of Shahbaz Ahmed Sr — since the last three years.

The 28-year-old Mehmood showcased his skills when he played an important role in the final by passing the ball into the D area for Niklas Bruns, who found the back of the net in extra-time to draw level (1-1) with UHC Hamburg.

“It was a great feeling to be a part of the lone goal in the final for your team in the presence of top players from around the world,” Mehmood told The Express Tribune. “Apart from us and the Dutch, there were three players from Belgium and one from Spain.”

According to Mehmood, the Europeans are more focused on building their stamina as modern hockey is all about that: power and strategy. “The way they train is outstanding as they have separate exercises for all the muscles. They know which muscle to build for which type of game and have various machines for that.”

He added that the league not only helps enhance a player’s experience but provides financial support as well. “Our domestic hockey is in tatters; the players don’t have jobs and they don’t get paid for their hard work. Pakistan is blessed to have loyal and patriotic players who play for their country despite this,” he said.

Rizwan, who also played a crucial role in his club’s win by netting two goals in the penalty shootout, said it was a fantastic experience to help the team win. “This type of hockey not only improves your skills, but it gives you more confidence to face players of any stature.”

He said that missing the training camp for the 2016 Rio Olympic qualifiers was not a big deal as they were playing in one of the top leagues in the world. “We had the best trainers, so missing the 50-day camp didn’t cause any damage. The European league season starts from September and we had already missed four months because of the Asian Games and Champions Trophy as our country needed us. But training back home is something we can compromise on if we’re doing so already with top professionals.”

Both players said they would help the juniors back home by establishing a fortnightly camp for 150 players whenever they return.