PHF to establish goalkeepers academy

KARACHI: PHF president Khalid Khokhar has said that PHF would soon establish an academy to address the problem of lack of good goalkeepers.

He told ‘The News’ that in the academy the successful goalkeepers of domestic events would be coached on modern lines.

He said that details about the goalkeepers academy would be announced within a month.

The country’s hockey chiefs realised need for a dedicated academy for goalkeepers after Pakistan lost some important international events during the last couple of years because of the poor performance of the men in the cage.  The recent defeats of Pakistan hockey team in Sultan Azlan Shah Cup were due to the poor goalkeeping of Imran Butt, who is considered the country’s best goalkeeper.

Pakistan faced defeats with big margins in some matches.

The manager of senior team Hanif Khan and the chief coach of juniors Tahir Zaman are not satisfied with the performances of their goalkeepers and are seeking some sharp boys to strengthen their teams.

The juniors are currently attending a training camp in Abbottabad where five goalkeepers are being trained for the summer European tour and other future competitions.

“Our domestic hockey is not producing quality goalkeepers and we need to pay attention to this issue seriously,” Khokhar said.

He added that the inclusion of five goalkeepers in juniors’ camp indicated how much PHF was desperate to pick sharp goalkeepers who can sustain the pressure of international matches and perform well in crucial moments.

He added that during the European tour of the junior team the management would pay extraordinary attention to the training of goalkeepers.  Pakistan are to participate in the Junior Hockey World Cup 2016 in December.