A changed game

Over the years, Pakistan’s hockey chiefs have been doing the same thing over and over again – expecting different results. This insanity continued as we headed into 2018. After a spate of poor results from the national team, the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) brought about sweeping changes in the hockey setup, roping in two former greats as head coach and chief selectors. Former Olympic gold medalist Hasan Sardar was named as the new head coach while ex-World Cup-winning captain Islahuddin Siddiqui was brought in as chief selector. Both Hasan and Islah made great contributions to the cause of Pakistan hockey as star players back in the seventies and eighties. But their appointment to two key positions in the national hockey setup will probably not make much of a difference. For years, the PHF has been playing one game of musical chairs after another, bringing in former stalwarts in the hope that they will put the faltering national team back on track. This hasn’t worked in the past and it is highly unlikely that such steps will help produce desired results in the future.

Hockey has evolved into a different sport altogether in the last couple of decades. From a skill-based sport, which it was during the days of Islah and Hasan, hockey has been transformed into a power sport where only super-fit players can shine at the international level. Pakistani players lag far behind their counterparts from leading teams primarily because they aren’t fit enough. Even in 2017 when the PHF tried to lift the standard of the team through a variety of development plans, Pakistan’s performance went from bad to worse. In a year when they were even beaten by minnows like Japan, Pakistan’s only consolation was qualification for World Cup 2018 and a bronze medal at the Asia Cup in Dhaka. The PHF will have to think beyond just replacing the coaches and selectors if it wants to help improve the national team’s performance. It should also consider the idea of bringing in a foreign coach and trainers. There isn’t just doom and gloom in Pakistan hockey, though. The country is getting ready for the return of international action later this month as a World XI will be playing back-to-back matches in Karachi and Lahore on January 19 and 21. The touring party will include leading players from Australia, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and New Zealand. The short visit will be a big step forward for Pakistan hockey, which has suffered because of a lack of international games at home.