Won’t make big changes: Tahir Zaman

KARACHI: Pakistan hockey team head coach Olympian Tahir Zaman has said that he will not make any big changes in the strategy during the Asian Champions Trophy 2024 as he is joining the team only one day before the event begins.

Tahir Zaman was talking to The News on Friday from airport while leaving the country on Friday. He said that national hockey team is already in China for past many days and obviously it is in their benefit that the Greenshirts would be acclimatised in China. He would focus on continuing the team combination that played in recent events.

Tahir Zaman was appointed head coach of Pakistan hockey team on emergency basis. PHF wanted a foreign hockey coach for the training of Pakistan team but it could not do so mainly because of financial crisis.

Tahir Zaman further said that Pakistan hockey team is in full rhythm comprising a number of young players with some experienced players and in good position to give tough time to all opponents.

The Asian Championship Trophy is scheduled to be held from 8th to 17th September. PHF is facing financial crisis. Three team members are playing leagues abroad. Six teams will compete in this edition of the tournament: China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, and Pakistan. These teams represent the strongest hockey nations in Asia.

Tahir Zaman said that Greenshirts will play in the championship keeping in mind the strength of rival teams and according to the need of the hour. He said field goals and penalty corners both are important and both would be focused.

Pakistan have a couple of PC drag flicker specialists who successfully scored goals on PCs in recent international matches but PCs can only be gotten when forwards play attacking game, he said.

He added that all participating teams are tough and know each other. India is a strong hockey team with good ranking in the world. Japan is also a tough opponent and so is Malaysia. Thus, no match would be easy in this championship, he said. He further said that as he would join just a day before the championship he would focus on the tuning of the players and play them according to their skill, form and fitness.