Pak volleyball team captain retires

KARACHI: Pakistan’s volleyball team captain Naseer Ahmad has announced retirement from international volleyball after serving the country for 15 long years.

“Yes, I have resigned from the national team. I have decided this after a deep thought and want to give chance to the youngsters,” Naseer told ‘The News’ in an interview on Monday.When asked whether he was happily folding his International career, the country’s top spiker said: “It’s always not easy to quit at a stage when you can still play. But one day you will have to quit and I have done this to give chance to young lot who are growing well under the foreign coach.” The 34-year old Naseer belongs to Shakargarh, a city in the north east of district Norowal. He remained Pakistan’s captain since 2009 till his retirement, an era during which he saw many ups and downs of Pakistan’s volleyball.

Naseer said that Iranian coach Hamid Movahedi had been handling the national team quite well. “He is a good coach and is doing a great job. The boys are learning and I see a good future of Pakistan’s volleyball,” the spiker said. Naseer remained Pakistan’s captain in the 2010 China and 2014 Incheon Asian Games, 2017 Baku Islamic Games and 2016 South Asian Games in India besides other several international events. He was also part of Pakistan’s team in the 2005 inaugural Islamic Games in Saudi Arabia.

Naseer six days ago has returned from Lebanon after his engagement in the professional league. He has been playing professional league for the last one decade. Besides playing in Lebanon, Naseer has also played professional leagues in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Iran, Jordon and Maldives. Naseer said although he has announced retirement from international volleyball but he would continue to play professional leagues and also will play for WAPDA in domestic circuit. “Yes, I will keep playing professional leagues and will also be part of WAPDA in the domestic events,” Naseer said. Naseer stressed the need of a professional league in the country. “League is very important for promoting volleyball. Not only volleyball but it’s the need of every sport and without a professional league you cannot promote any game,” the seasoned player said. “I have already told Pakistan Volleyball Federation (PVF) to initiate a league. It does not matter if it starts from a small level but it’s very important. Unless players earn money they would not be able to play wholeheartedly. There is a need to provide the boys earning chances and you cannot do that without league,” Naseer conceded.

Naseer recalled that in 2011 Pakistan had got a very good combination but the PVF issue damaged everything. “Some players of armed forces were not allowed to play. This created a big mess. And even some players, who were on the top, remained home for few years which also destroyed their career,” Naseer recalled.

To a query Naseer said that there is no specific system of volleyball at the grassroots level. “The boys come to the top from the clubs and they are at that stage mature enough which is always not easy to change their style and techniques. We need to create such a base through a certain system which could polish the young talent at the grassroots and when they come to the national team they would be well-prepared and there will be no need to teach them about the basics,” Naseer added.

Naseer, who made his international debut in 2003 Asian Men’s Volleyball Championships in Tianjin, China, is also interested in coaching. He plans to do a coaching course in near future. “Yes, definitely I am interested in coaching. I will do coaching course in future,” he said.