Pakistan hockey needs to adopt modern techniques, says Aikman

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will have to adopt modern techniques for hockey by breaking away from the past glories and accepting challenges and versatility of the modern game, said national team head coach Siegfried Aikman in an exclusive interview with ‘The News’ on Monday.

As the national team prepares to embark on the European tour in ten-day time, Aikman said he was surprised to see Pakistan hockey living in the past and making no efforts to take the modern challenges head-on.

“Pakistan hockey is still living in the past, narrating the achievements of thirty-forty years back rather looking ahead and accepting the challenges of modern hockey. We still believe in the right-out and left-out and right-in and left-in brand of hockey which is no more there in the modern era. Gone are the days when such a combination used to achieve results for you. Now every player has to play multiple roles. If at one time he is seen defending, the next minute he would be there on the attack. A player should be all in one rather than a specialist of one side and totally raw for other positions. It is modern hockey where we need it all in one package.”

The Dutch national has pointed out numerous flaws in the Pakistan hockey players as well as in the system.

“When a player turns up for the national camp, he knows nothing about the latest requirement. National coaches handle totally raw stuff unlike European countries where a player just entering his teens knows what the requirements are and how to move forward. That has not been the case with Pakistan players. There is absolutely no coaching for the teens here. No one shares with them how to pursue modern hockey and develop your skills likewise.”

Aikman was amazed to see the lack of planning and strategy in domestic hockey.

“No domestic team has anything to do with sharing modern techniques to develop the skills and mental approach of a player. It is here that Pakistan hockey falters. When a player turns up for the national camp, he turns up raw and totally void of the modern requirements.”

The major weakness of Pakistan players is the poor first touch.

“Look how much time these players take in gathering and then distributing the ball. This sluggishness of attitude Pakistani players have is inherited from the past. In modern hockey you have to be very quick in gathering and distribution. I am working on these flaws and have succeeded somewhat during the ongoing camp but such an attitude should be developed from the grassroots where a boy knows not to hang on with the ball rather accept the ball quickly and distribute it even quicker.”

The head coach added that there was a lot to do when it comes to handling the pressure. “What I have seen during the Asian Champions Trophy is that even the leading players crumbled under pressure and started having unnecessary arguments with umpires. Such an attitude never helps you as it complicates matters and gives undue advantage to the opponents. We need to educate our players on how to deal with tense and disappointing situations to avoid further miseries.”

The national team head coach wanted his charges to be extremely physically fit. “You can cover some of these flaws quickly by attaining physical fitness of the highest order. We need fitness to the level of European and Australian hockey players. Some of the players do have stickwork but they lack physical fitness. In modern day hockey, stickwork comes last, it is first touch, acceptance and distribution of the ball that matters.”

Aikman rejected the normal excuse that lack of artificial surfaces was the reason for Pakistan hockey’s downfall. “I don’t believe in that. There are some very lush grass fields here where you can teach youth on the modern hockey requirements. When I was in Japan, the youth used to play hockey on sand and we see some really talented players emerging from that sand hockey. Even in Pakistan such a trend could be developed.”

The Dutch national who has years of coaching experience behind him called on evolving a permanent roadmap to achieve glory. “In Pakistan, people believe in short term planning that never helps you. We have already dented the country’s hockey future by pulling out of the first ever FIH Pro League. Pakistan hockey has never come out of that jolt. By missing the pro league, Pakistan had ensured they would struggle to get the required international exposure from years to come.”