JEDDAH, 10 August 2006 — In what is considered by many as an unprecedented move, Pakistan’s new hockey coach Shahnaz Shaikh is seeking the assistance of a sports psychiatrist to boost the morale of his players.
Once the uncrowned kings of world hockey and the only country to have won the World Cup four times, Pakistan finished a poor fifth out of six teams in the recent Champions Trophy in Terrassa, Spain.
Coach Asif Bajwa bowed out on return from Spain and the Pakistan Hockey Federation summoned Shahnaz for national duty from Jeddah where he is Pakistan International Airlines’ station manager.
Shahnaz took over on Tuesday at the coaching camp in Abbotabad in preparation for the World Cup. The team’s morale was badly dented when it suffered a humiliating 9-2 loss to the Netherlands in Terrassa.
“What the players need is a belief in themselves and a confidence in their own talent and abilities,” Shahnaz said here before leaving for Pakistan. “Their morale needs to be boosted and for this I have asked for the help of a psychiatrist.”
Shahnaz also wants forward Tareq Aziz back in the squad. Tareq was banned for six months by the PHF. “Almost five months of the ban are already over. I am going to ask the PHF to waive the rest of the ban and make Tareq available for the World Cup,” he added. In the event of the enforced absence of star foward Mudassar due to injury, Shahnaz feels Tareq’s services are indispensable for the team.
Shahnaz, well known in his prime for tearing down rival defenses to shreds, said aggression will be the basis of his tactics during the World Cup. “Offense is the best form of defense. I have always believed in this and I will continue to follow this philosophy,” he added.
Shahnaz admitted that he did not have much time (the World Cup will be held in Monchengladbach, Germany from Sept. 6 to 17) to prepare but he will try and do his best.
Pakistan are in Group A with Australia, Spain, New Zealand, Argentina and Japan. “We are playing our first match against Japan and the second against New Zealand. This will give us a good buildup in the competition,” he said.
He has asked his assistant coach Nasser Ali to organize the training equipment and also videos of Terrassa matches to analyze and point out the shortcomings so that they could be removed.
Shahnaz said the four-nation tournament in Hamburg involving Germany, the Netherlands and Spain just before the World Cup will be a good opportunity to put into practice some of the plans and strategies. “But we have to be careful that key players don’t suffer injuries,” he added.
Shahnaz expressed his gratitude to the PHF for giving him the opportunity to serve the nation. “I am overwhelmed. I only want to assure everyone that I will do my best in the service of the country and in the cause of hockey,” Shahnaz said.
India are placed in Group B along with holders Germany, the Netherlands, England, South Korea and South Africa. India play the opening match of the tournament against hosts Germany on Sept. 6.
