Hockey needs competent people: Sami

KARACHI: Former Pakistan hockey Olympian Samiullah has said that the reason behind the game’s downfall in the country was that incompetent people were leading it and if right people were brought it could be brought back on track.
“The lack of funds means the people at the top lack administrative skills,” Samiullah told PPI. “This is a lame excuse to say the former world champions lost to minnows like France because of lack of funds,” he said.
Coach Shahnaz Sheikh and captain Mohammad Imran on their return from Belgium where they failed to qualify for the 2016 Olympics said the players were unable to perform well since they didn’t even have enough money to eat during the event.
The Green-shirts lost to underdogs Ireland and France in World Hockey League play-offs.
“We have immense talent as any other top hockey-playing nation,” Samiullah said. “We only need to channel that talent into national circuit, polish it and you will see the Green-shirts back in the elite hockey-playing nations soon. The only thing we need is to bring people on merit.”