KARACHI: Newly-appointed chairman national selection committee Hasan Sardar has called around 60 players for a two-week training camp in Islamabad for the selection of Pakistan hockey team for Asia Cup in Bangladesh in October.
Sardar, who replaced Rasheed Junior on Thursday, told ‘The News’ on Friday that a combination of experienced seniors and talented juniors was required. “We have called 60 players to participate in the training camp. We will see their fitness level and skills before short-listing,” he added.
He said that the players had been called to prepare for Asia Cup. The great forward of his time said that the selection committee would short-list 35-40 players for the next phase of training camp.
“It is not good for any team to play many juniors at an international level event,” Sardar said. “The inclusion of juniors should be done gradually,” he argued. He said that Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has called all senior and junior players in the training camp let see how they prove their fitness and skills during the training camp.
PHF was trying to arrange series so that Pakistan players had some international experience before the Asia Cup, but if it was not possible, “we will try to remove the weaknesses of our players within the training camp”, said the chairman selection committee. He added that India, Malaysia and South Korea were tough teams at Asia Cup.
‘Don’t have much time’
PHF secretary Shahbaz Ahmed has said that the federation had started the preparation of Pakistan hockey team in Islamabad for the Asia Cup 2017, which is to be held in Bangladesh in October.
He told ‘The News’ that the new national selection committee and the new team management had been appointed keeping in mind the need of the hour. “We don’t have much time and we can’t afford to do many experiments. We have only two months before the Asia Cup, which is a tough tournament,” Shahbaz said.
“We have called senior and junior players to participate in the training camp. They have to prove their skills to represent Pakistan.
“We are taking Asia Cup very seriously because it gives us an opportunity to know where we stand in Asia and prepare accordingly for the World Cup 2018. “The national selection committee and the team management have been given free hand to work out the things.”
Farhat stresses need forinternational experience
Pakistan hockey team’s newly-appointed manger-cum-head coach Farhat Khan has said that they had started the training and coaching camp in Islamabad and called senior and junior players to participate in the camp.
While talking to ‘The News’, he said: “We have also called those players who are playing professional leagues abroad. We want to have a good blend of senior and junior players. The new team management will work for that in the training camp.”
Farhat said that Asia Cup 2017 was the immediate task in which there would be such teams as India, South Korea and Malaysia. “China are also an emerging team. Thus, keeping in mind these teams we will prepare our team.
“I have requested PHF to organise at least one test series with some strong team so that our team’s combination could be developed and players get used to sustain the pressure of international hockey. Our players lack experience of international hockey.
“My policy is simple: those who prove their skills, physical fitness, motivation and spirit during the training camp will be selected,” said Farhat.
He said the training camp would be shifted to Karachi after two weeks. “We will try our best to meet the expectations of people,” he added.