KARACHI, 26 October 2007 — Pakistan coach Islahuddin Siddiqui on Sunday took a swipe at the country’s senior players including short corner specialist Sohail Abbas saying that they will have to show a more mature and serious approach if they are to return to international hockey.
Sohail together with former Pakistan captain Waseem Ahmed and a few other senior players were recalled for this year’s Champions Trophy but failed to show up for a training camp which got under way on Sunday here at the Hockey Club of Pakistan Stadium in preparation for the eight-nation tournament.
“Neither Sohail or Waseem have joined the camp so far,” Islah told Arab News. “Not only that they have failed to show up for training, the players haven’t even bothered to tell us whether they will attend the camp or not,” added the former Olympian.
“We invited these senior players thinking that if they are fit, they might help us improve our results but I don’t think they are serious enough to resume their international career,” he stressed.
Islah said that the players will have to show better attitude if they are to return to international hockey. “A player has to be very serious and committed if he wants to play for Pakistan,” he said.
Sohail and several other leading national players were banned by the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) after they skipped a national training camp before last December’s Asian Games in Doha, Qatar. Later the PHF president Zafarullah Khan Jamali made it clear that the players will not play for Pakistan till he is in charge.
However, after the national team flopped miserably in a series of international events, the PHF was forced to recall the senior players for the Champions Trophy training camp. So far only Dilawar Hussain, an experienced midfielder, has opted to show up from among the previously discarded senior players. Ghazanfar Ali, another midfielder, has informed the team management that he will join the camp from Oct. 27.
Out of the 39 players invited for the camp, 29 have reported to the camp commandant so far.
Substitute goalkeeper Nasir Ahmed, reported for duty on Saturday evening but was released by the team officials after the player informed them that he is still recovering from dengue fever.
“Nasir has been advised rest by the doctors and we have told him that he can only return to the camp after getting fully fit,” Islah said.
Pakistan can face serious problems if Nasir is forced to miss the Champions Trophy as they do not have any reliable substitute goalie in their ranks. The experienced Salman Akber is their top goalkeeper while Nasir fills in for him whenever required.
Pakistan have two more goalies – Shakir Munir and Imran Shah- in the camp but neither of the two has any worthwhile international experience.
