PHF mulls over getting foreign assistance for the junior hockey team: Hockey News
Due to the recent failure of Pakistan’s junior hockey team at the Singapore’s Under-18 Junior Asia Cup, Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) is thinking over getting a foreign coach for the team.
Despite topping the chart with an unbeatable record of total of 53 goals in four matches, it was heart-breaking that the team still failed to defend their 2009 Myanmar’s title win.
The team failed to beat down the Korean side and lost the semi-final by 1-2, only left with the opportunity to secure a bronze in a play-off against the host team, Singapore.
Fortunately, the team crushed Singapore by a single-handed 6-0 victory and clinching the bronze-medal.
Overall, PHF expressed their satisfaction with the team’s performance at the competition. PHF’s Secretary, Mohammad Asif Bajwa said, “I don’t think they performed badly. It was a tough game against a tough side. Every member showed true strength of character
but I believe they are still developing. They need more time and exposure to mature.”
Therefore, in order to improve the standard and quality of play in the field, the junior side needs to have some foreign assistance.
At one point in time, it was expected that the team will win the Junior Asia Cup title. However, it was a shocking loss for them in the quarter-finals.
According to Bajwa, this was the time PHF felt that the situation could have been saved, if there was a foreign expert to guide the players out of the pressure in a professional manner.
Yesterday, June 29, Bajwa told media about the considerations being taken by the federation and stated, “We are seriously considering to get the services of a suitable foreign hockey expert on the same pattern of our senior team because attaching a foreign
coach with our senior team has yielded productive results.”
This will help the players a lot in their international hockey career at present and in future as well.
According to the former Olympian, he was calm keeping in view the actual target of the PHF, which is to qualify into the Junior World Cup ahead.
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