JEDDAH, 6 August 2006 — The Pakistan field hockey team is capable of winning matches and can defeat any team, but it needs consistency in performance, said Shahnaz Shaikh, the new coach and manager of the team, yesterday.
The Pakistan Hockey Federation appointed the former Olympian as coach, replacing Asif Bajwa following the team’s dismal performance at the Champions Trophy last month.
Nasir Ali was appointed the assistant coach.
“Bajwa has expressed his unavailability to continue as team coach,” PHF Secretary Akhtarul Islam told journalists at a press conference in Karachi yesterday, while announcing the name of the new management of the team.
The move comes just a month ahead of the World Cup in Germany.
Talking to Arab News, Shahnaz said: “We have very limited time to prepare for the World Cup. Utilizing my experience and potential, I will put the team on the winning track. This is a time to keep the team’s morale high.”
He said he knew the team’s weak and strong points. He has been monitoring the team’s performances in recent matches and he is optimistic of the team’s winning in the forthcoming World Cup, which is to be played in Germany from Sept. 6-17.
“Team composition is the main factor in bringing victory,” Shahnaz said, adding, “We will use every player for ‘Right Man for the Right Job’ purpose and will make the composition after studying the body language of each player in which consistency of performance will remain intact.”
Currently station manager of Pakistan International Airlines at Jeddah, Shahnaz is leaving tomorrow for Pakistan where he will join the team’s coaching camp in Abbotabad.
Asked what kind of tactics he will apply during the camp, Shahnaz said, “I will follow a four-point formula in which a team can work. They are; vision — attacking hockey; mission — victory stand; commission — skill and straight hockey and the last is omission — to avoid drill and diagonal play.
“Playing diagonal hockey burns out the player and his physical deficiency becomes open to the opponent,” Shahnaz pointed out, while describing the tactics.
Regarding the best player, Muddasar, Shahnaz said, if fit, will be an advantage.
Before the World Cup the team will play a four-nation hockey tournament from Aug. 25-27 in Hamburg, in which Pakistan, Spain, Holland, and hosts Germany are taking part.
Bajwa faced harsh criticism after Holland thrashed Pakistan 9-2 — its worst ever defeat — in last month’s Champions Trophy in Spain.
Pakistan eventually finished fifth in the six-team competition.
Pakistan is in Pool A of the World Cup along with Argentina, Australia, Japan, New Zealand and Spain with the top two teams qualifying for the semifinals.
