PHF arranges jobs for 80 players

KARACHI: Around 80 hockey players who have represented Pakistan or attended training camps of age-group teams or the senior would be given jobs in four departments, ‘The News’ learnt on Wednesday.

Informed sources said that a list of 40 players had already been sent to Fauji Foundation, OGDCL, ZTBL and SNGPL in this respect.

This is for the first time in a decade that PHF has managed to provide jobs to hockey players.

The players were severely affected due to closure of various departmental hockey teams.

Around a dozen departmental hockey teams were closed amid a decline of Pakistan hockey which resulted in the country failing to qualify for the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics.

Over the last year, there has been considerable improvement in domestic hockey affairs.

All national-level tournaments have been resumed with handsome amounts in prize money. A number of new events have been included in domestic hockey.

PHF secretary Shahbaz Ahmed, when contacted, confirmed that a list of 40 players had been sent to four departments and another list of 40 players would be sent to them soon.

He further said that each team would have a few officials, including coaches.

Informed sources said that these players would get substantial salaries. Those who have played international hockey would earn even higher, they added.

The sources said the teams of OGDCL, SNGPL, ZTBL and Fuji Foundation would participate in domestic hockey events.

Meanwhile, PHF has decided that three practice matches between the senior and junior teams would be played on October 8, 9, and 10 at the National Hockey stadium.

These matches will be the final preparation for both teams, who are to participate in international hockey events this month.

Both teams are training in Lahore. The seniors are going to participate in Asian Champions Trophy in Malaysia. The juniors are to go to Malaysia for the Sultan of Johor Bahru invitation hockey tournament.

The chief coach of junior team Tahir Zaman said that Sultan of Johor Cup was very important, being the last test before the Junior World Cup in December.

He said that playing against Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Malaysia, England and India would be great learning experience for the boys. “The boys are able to surprise any big opponent,” he said.

The chief coach of senior hockey team Khwaja Junaid is also optimistic that his team would play well.  Being the defending champions of the event, they would play aggressive hockey, he said.