PSF’s hunt for Hunt, other foreign coaches unsucessful

KARACHI: After getting no response to the advertisement for foreign coach hiring, squash authorities contacted a few foreign coaches but failed to rope in anyone.

It has been learnt that Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF) did not receive any response to its advertisement for foreign coach position after which they approached Australian legend Geoff Hunt.

“Initially, Hunt demanded $30,000 per month but later he refused and recommended his countryman Dan Jenson, who coaches in the United States,” said a source in a message to this scribe.

It is to be noted that Hunt was World No1 from 1975-80. He won the World Open title four times. After retiring, Hunt served as the Head Squash Coach at the Australian Institute of Sport from 1985–2003.

He then worked for 8 years at the Aspire Academy in Doha, Qatar. “Jenson suggested to the federation officials to send players to New York for training,” said the source.

The source added that for that Jenson demanded $12,000 per month excluding accommodation and food. This deal also fell through.

Later, the source added, the federation contacted Egypt’s Ali Reda who is a professional squash player and reached a career-high world ranking of World No. 23 in October 2011.

“But Reda is busy till October. He said he would be available from November. He is demanding $18,000 per month,” said the source, adding that Reda has coached Zahid Mohammad, Mazen Hesham and a few other top Egyptian players.

Then, the source added, the federation contacted Alister Walker, who is a professional squash player, having represented England. He is currently representing Botswana. He reached a career-high world ranking of 12 in September 2009.

“Walker said he would be coming to coach players only for 10 days a month and for that he demanded $7,500 per month,” said the source.

The source added that Walker said that he would give players a programme for the remaining 20 days of every month.

“Walker said that if Pakistani players under his coaching won World Junior title he should get $10,000 as bonus and $5000 in case Pakistanis were the finalists,” said the source.

“The federation has tried everywhere but they are not finding any coach in the limited budget they have,” said the source.

It is worth adding here that PSF has been looking for a foreign coach since July 2018. The federation in its Annual General Meeting that year requested legendary player Jahangir Khan to help them hire a foreign coach.

Jahangir assured the federation of his support and said he would send his recommendations to them. But nothing has been achieved in this regard.

Meanwhile, a local coach said that PSF should make it clear in the first place that who the foreign coach would be training or coaching.

“Pakistan doesn’t have any pool of young talented junior players because currently most of the players are either overage or incapable of learning anything,” said the coach.

He added that PSF should replicate the system Malaysia has implemented under which local coaches produce good players from their regional or domestic circuits.

“And then those talented players are sent to the national academy where they are turned into champions,” said the coach.

It is pertinent to mention here that PSF advertised for the foreign coach with January 29 as the deadline.

Interestingly, the PSF in the meantime hired former world number six Mir Zaman Gul as the national coach for six months on probation. But the federation released Zaman after just his six sessions with local players.