‘I can take hockey back to its glory days’

Olympian Naveed Alam invited to replace deceased selection committee member

KARACHI: Olympian Naveed Alam, who has been invited to be part of the national selection committee by the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF), claims he can drastically improve the state of hockey in Pakistan in just six months.

Alam will replace deceased national selection committee member Arshad Ali Chaudhry, who passed away on June 11. He has served with the Bangladesh Hockey Federation (BHF) as the director of coaching for 14 months and also guided them to their first-ever appearance in the Asian Games and the Youth Olympics.

The Olympian believes that even though Pakistan’s hockey team is better than their Bangladeshi counterparts, the latter’s board is leagues ahead in terms of organisation and arranging sponsors.

“Pakistan hockey is much better and there is absolutely no comparison between the Greenshirts and the Bangladeshi hockey team, but as far as organisation, sponsorship, government and media support is concerned, they are way ahead,” Alam told The Express Tribune.

Alam further insisted that his experience would certainly aid the Greenshirts and should the PHF cooperate with him, he can guarantee that the level of the team would improve within six months.

“I was given the full authority to work by the BHF, and with their support I was able to establish five teams of different age groups,” he added. “If I get what I ask for on time, then I can guarantee to not only improve the national side but also the junior teams within six months.”

Published in The Express Tribune, June 18^th,  2015.

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