I am leaving Pakistan with sad heart: Movahedi

KARACHI: Pakistan's outgoing Iranian volleyball coach Hamid Movahedi on Tuesday said that he was set to leave Pakistan with a sad heart as he enjoyed working with potentially glorious boys during his two-year stint as coach.

“I am really sad that I am leaving Pakistan's job. I like this country and love the highly talented youngsters who are like my sons and with whom I have worked very hard for the last two years,” Movahedi told 'The News' an interview from Islamabad. Movahedi's two-year contract as Pakistan's coach expired on April 1. After receiving his four months dues he will fly out for his hometown in Istanbul. Movahedi has a solid record of coaching in Europe, Gulf, East Asian and South Asian countries.

Pakistan is unable to extend his contract because of financial issues as the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) is not assisting Pakistan Volleyball Federation (PVF). He said that the state must support PVF.

“Without state funding PVF lonely cannot do anything. Volleyball development is a costly exercise and Pakistan should know this,” Movahedi said. He was happy with the way he worked as Pakistan coach.

“I am satisfied that I have tried my level best to improve the standard of Pakistan's volleyball within the available resources,” the coach said. “Besides changing the system of the senior team by bringing it at par with the international standard I also formed and worked on youth and junior teams besides having worked on beach volleyball teams,” he said.

“We beat China and India in the Asian Games last year despite their strong standings in volleyball in international circuit,” Movahedi recalled. He said that Pakistan lacked in several facilities which had been impeding the growth of the sport. “There is no proper hall here. The Liaquat Gymnasium had been closed a year ago due to reasons I don't know about and the Hamidi Hall at the Pakistan Sports Complex is too small and not suitable to train in. If Pakistan wants to progress it will need international standard infrastructure, equipment and heavy budget. The IPC and the government will have to back the PVF if the game is to improve. There is no doubt that there is an immense talent here but besides the areas which I mentioned the boys also need international exposure which is the only way to build a strong side for international commitments,” the coach said.

He said that Pakistan would need to launch a professional league if it wanted to progress. “Without professional league it is not possible to achieve anything big in volleyball. You know India has a strong league. Maldives, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have volleyball leagues but in Pakistan only national championship is held once in a year which is not sufficient,” Movahedi said.

When asked how much his support staff learnt from him Movahedi said that they had learnt a lot. “I think they have learnt a lot. I hope after I will leave they will look after the teams properly. My best wishes are with them,” Movahedi said.

He said that he had got coaching offers from Iran, Turkey and Arab countries and would be joining any nation in near future as a coach. “April and May are the months for international transfer of coaches and I believe that I will enter into a deal with any nation in the same time,” Movahedi said.