Home-based training plan to be revised if lockdown extended: Junaid

KARACHI: Pakistan head coach Khwaja Junaid has said that the home-based training programme for the probable members of the national team would be continued at least till April 21 and if the lockdown was extended changes might be made to the plan.

The head coach while talking to ‘The News’ from Lahore on Saturday said that if the lockdown was extended some change in the training programme would be made. “The ongoing training would be continued but we would add a few new things and inform the players,” he said.

He said all probable players were following the PHF’s training programme. “As a result, they have managed to maintain their fitness, physical strength and motivation. They are mentally and physically ready to start hard regular training whenever it is possible,” said Junaid.

“The players are not sitting idle. They are busy, both physically and mentally. In a way they are part of the training camp,” said the head coach.

“We have focussed on three points to maintain the fitness and form of the players. First is their diet plan, second is their physical activities and third is their hockey skills without going to the ground. They have been given directions about all these things. They know very well their diet plan, the physical exercises, they know very well what they were doing during their camp training,” he said.

“The main thing is how they keep up their hockey skills without ground activities and match practice. But there are some training methods which the players could use individually. Those methods we have taught them and they are doing well. We are interacting with them regularly,” Junaid said.

He said that assistant coach Muhammad Imran, an expert of penalty corners, is coaching the group of PC drag flickers, watching their videos and advising them through Whatapp. Goalkeeping coach Muhammad Nasir is in contact with the group of goalkeepers and giving them tips, he added.

“If we had not adopted the home-based training programme for these three weeks of the lockdown, our hard work of previous weeks would have gone down the drain. They would have gained weight, lost stamina and many thing they had been taught,” Junaid said.