KARACHI, 15 June — An 18-member Pakistan hockey squad flew out of Karachi for Barcelona on a two-week sojourn of Europe with the team’s coaches promising to put a full stop to “all the experimentation” after the crucial assignment.
“We have been experimenting a lot during the last few months and will continue to do that in Europe. But once the tour concludes there will be no more trials as the same side will go on to take part in major events like the Champions Trophy and the World Cup,” said team coach Shahbaz Ahmad in an interview with “Arab News”.
Shahbaz is one of the three coaches appointed by the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) earlier this year to prepare a strong team for this year’s Champions Trophy in Lahore and 2002 World Cup in Kuala Lumpur during February-March.
The tour of Europe that includes two tests against Spain in Barcelona, a test each against Germany and Belgium in Hamburg and Brussels, a three-test series against world champions Holland in Amstelveen and a four-nation tournament in Hamburg is a part of the green shirts’ preparations for the Champions Trophy and World Cup.
“Our team still needs a lot of learning to do,” commented Shahbaz, the hero of Pakistan’s 1992 World Cup triumph in Sydney — one of the country’s last major international titles. “There are a lot of youngsters in the side who need experience and international exposure. The European trip will provide them the perfect opportunity.”
Shahbaz along with two other former Olympians Hanif Khan and Khawaja Junaid form the national team’s coaches’ panel. The panel supervised eight days of practice sessions at a brief training camp held here at the Hockey Club of Pakistan Stadium prior to the team’s departure for Europe.
According to Shahbaz, the brief period was fully utilized to curb a few basic flaws in the side. “We worked a lot on the side’s brittle defense. The team has been scoring a lot of goals but then it has also been conceding too many. That is why we mostly concentrated on the defenders during the camp.”
Pakistan went to Beijing at the end of May where they played an exhibition match against China’s national team and a few games against the provincial sides. They won all the matches but their defense once again faltered in a 6-3 win over China — the only competitive game of the tour.
“It was really bad to see a lowly team like China scoring three goals against us,” said Shahbaz. When the boys led by goalie Ahmad Alam reassembled in Karachi soon after the Chinese trip, the team coaches carried out a series of strenuous sessions aimed at consolidating the mid-field and the deep defense.
Shahbaz is sure now his defense was performing much better. “I hope they will give an improved show against teams like Holland and Germany.”
Pakistan’s litmus test during the European tour will come in the Hamburg quadrangular which will pit them against Holland, Germany and Korea — the side which beat them 1-0 in the semifinals of the Olympic Games in Sydney last year. Pakistan defeated Holland in Sydney and drew against Germany in the pool matches.
Team skipper and goalkeeper Ahmad Alam said that his team will have a good chance of avenging the Sydney defeat in Hamburg. “The semifinal loss is still fresh in the minds of my players,” said the 29-year-old from Karachi. “I am confident that our team will come out with a different result in the four-nation event.”
Ahmed pointed out that winning the quadrangular is important for his side which desperately needs to lift a few trophies to revive hockey’s fading popularity back home. “We would love to return home with the title. It will be good for Pakistan hockey and for the team before the Champions Trophy.”
Pakistan are scheduled to host the Champions Trophy in Lahore from Nov. 3 to 11. The elite six-nation tournament will feature defending champions Holland, Korea, Australia, Germany and Great Britain along with the hosts. “Our sights are set on the Champions Trophy but we will have to win some matches before the tournament in order to boost our confidence,” said Ahmad. The Pakistanis will return home on July 3 and will get back to work soon after that in order to prepare for the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup to be held in Kuala Lumpur in August. Pakistan will defend their title in the tournament that will feature some of the top sides of the world.
