The 20th Executive Board of the Pakistan Hockey Federation will meet on Friday, September 23, in the conference room of the PHF office, National Hockey Stadium, here. The meeting will be presided over by President PHF Qasim Zia. The PHF has also invited chairman national selection committee Abdul Hanif Khan and Khawaja Muhammad Junaid to give their account before the Executive Board regarding the performance of junior and senior players. However, in a general observation the followers of the game have expressed their satisfaction over the performance of the team. The PHF was criticised for resting some senior players and inducting junior players for the tournament. Before the team’s departure to China for the mega event, many sports analysts had criticised the PHF’s decision. “We were really unlucky; we were in control during field game in the final but somehow failed to score in shoot-out,” team manager Khawaja Junaid was quoted as saying by a Chinese news agency. Junaid, a former Olympian, said that reaching the final with a young team was a major achievement as Pakistan tried out several youngsters, and this would help Pakistan prepare a good team for the London Olympics. By winning three matches, losing one and drawing one, the Pakistan team got 10 points before playing the final match against India on Sunday in Ordos, China. The Pakistan team was warmly welcomed by the officials and hockey fans when they arrived at the international airport in the country’s southern port city of Karachi.
I must remind the PHF that it is not al all a satisfying result from the recently concluded tournament. Firstly, all the Asian countries were playing against each other, so there is no need to even claim something out of it after being Victorious in the Asian Games. Yes, one can always consider that the team has lost the top spot in Asia also and were runners-up. It was good to try the youngsters who are already playing in the senior team for last four years. Team needs to be a blend of youth and experience, so I think Hanoo Bahi should consider the 3 players, Salman, Sohail and Rehan. Let the team be of 20 players. who cares. Don't be penny wise,pound foolish. This expense of adding few more players to team is a drop in the bucket. Lets come to the point, after spending lavishly on a 1 month long tour of Europe playing against low ranked European teams the most except few outings in the tournaments against top teams from the continent, team produces this result in Asian tournament, it will be extremely difficult to do better for the team against the European teams. PHF has still some time to extend coaching help to the foreign D league coach.
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