Sultan of Johor Cup: ‘Players selected on merit for the first time’

Zaman lauds selection committee for assembling strong squad

KARACHI: While it is too early to judge the performance of the Pakistan Hockey Federation’s (PHF) new management and its impact on the nation’s sport, national junior team coach Tahir Zaman is buoyed by the selection of youngsters for the Sultan of Johor Cup, claiming it to be the first time that players have been selected on merit.

“This is the first time I have seen players being selected purely on the basis of merit and physical fitness,” Zaman told The Express Tribune. “The new selection committee [headed by Olympian Rashid Junior] has done a great job, which has increased the morale of the athletes and the coaches as well.”

Twenty six players and five reserves have been training at the Naseer Bunda Hockey Stadium in Islamabad for the Sultan of Johor Cup, which will begin on October 11 in Malaysia, and Zaman is confident that these players will excel at the tournament.

“The way these players are performing in training is very impressive. If these players maintain their level of performance at the Sultan of Johor Cup and in future tournaments, they will take hockey to unprecedented heights,” he added.

Zaman also said that the players are currently in the first phase of training, which will end of Wednesday, while the second phase would start on September 27.

The team will depart for Malaysia on October 8 and will play a practice match against Argentina on October 10.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 23^rd, 2015.

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