PHF takes steps for removal of National Hockey Team Management
The Pakistan Hockey Federation is taking steps to sack all the members of the National Senior and Junior hockey teams’ Management as well as the National Selection Committee except Dutch Coach, Michel van den Heuvel, in order to
upgrade the two departments to meet the targets in the upcoming international competitions.
According to well informed sources in the PHF, the Coach Michel van den Heuvel who had signed a two-year agreement till the 2012 London Olympics, will continue as Coach , while Hanif Khan, the Chief Selector along with Associate
Selectors Mohammad Usman, Arshad Chaudhary, Mussadiq Hussain will be replaced.
In addition, Manager of the senior team, and Assistant Coach Ahmed Alam will also be removed including junior team Coaches Ajmal Khan, Danish Kaleem and Anjum Saeed.
The approval for the implementation of this decision of the PHF will come after a meeting of the Executive Board in mid-December.
“The PHF has been planning to implement these changes since the World Cup debacle and is keen to bring in the best possible, professionally sound personnel in the two departments to boost its preparations for the upcoming assignments,”
sources said.
Sources further said that the PHF is aware of the fact that the success in the Asian Games has put some greater responsibilities on the PHF and it has to compete in international events for which the renovation of these two departments
is necessary.
The sources also unveiled the possibility that some senior Olympians who had been criticising the PHF for a long time after the failures of the World Cup and the Common Wealth Games might also be incorporated into the Hockey Federation
and will be encouraged to take part in improving Pakistan hockey on an international level.
Before this, the PHF had sacked the team management and the entire Selection Committee following the dismal performance of the national team in the hockey World Cup in India in March, 2010.
Pakistan finished last among the 12 competing teams in the World Cup after a 3-2 defeat to a lowly-ranked Canada in extra-time.
Later on, Qasim Zya explained to newsmen that Asif Bajwa will no longer be the Manager of the national hockey team but will continue his duties as PHF Secretary.
“Asif Bajwa is an elected secretary, he will not be working as Manager anymore,” Qasim said.
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