Pakistan cricket side has been the quintessentially unpredictable, with the exception of the 1980s and early 1990s under Imran Khan. Some measure of stability again is visible now under Misbah-ul-Haq, it’s the national hockey side that seems to have caught the unpredictability disease off-late. It’s hard to put money on Pakistan in just about any tournament, against any particular side, facing any task whatsoever.
The greenshirts could would go on and beat the top ranked team in their own backyard, or criminally lose out to a mundane opposition just as easily. They would build up expectations only to shatter them inexplicably and when you would give up all hope they would weave together a miracle when you least expect it. Pakistan hockey team is an enigma – truly a bizarre phenomenon, a sporting enigma.
The riddle surrounding the Pakistani side starting gaining prominence after 1994 – the year it accumulated their last meaningful pieces of global silverware with gold medals at the Champions Trophy in Lahore and then the World Cup in Sydney at the fag end. In the four World Cups following that triumph in Sydney, we had a hat-trick of sixth place finishes – a position that was doubled in New Delhi last year, in what was probably the darkest hour of Pakistan hockey, when all the squad announced their retirement in unison.
During the 17 years after 1994, Pakistan hockey has been on a slide. Even though New Delhi 2010 was probably the lowest point, and hence a turn upwards was due – nothing tangible has really materialised. The 12th place finish in New Delhi was preceded by an 8th place finish in the Beijing Olympics. In both the cases the podium was an optimistic target, but the final standing was totally unacceptable. These were the tournaments when veterans like Sohail Abbas, Waseem Ahmed and to some extent Rehan Butt were in the proximity of their twilights on a varying scale and hence one final collective effort was what the nation craved for. However, as time cruelly told, that wasn’t the case to be.
Now just when the coffins were being prepared and the hockey side was being scathed at from all corners, Guangzhou happened! Not only was the Asian gold medal, completely out of the blue – especially after the ‘exploits’ in the World Cup – it also threatened to wipe away all the gloom that had begun to mask the team. The gold medal in the Asian games was its first since Pakistan had won at a major tournament in 1994. So, it was construed that the team has finally turned the corner and would go on towards bigger and better things. That didn’t transpire, not exactly.
The year 2011 has seen Pakistan hockey keep everyone guessing throughout. With London Olympics next year, most tournaments were labelled as practice playgrounds for the major tests. At the Azlan Shah Cup we scared the Aussies big time! And at the time that was considered good enough. Then came the European tour; no one had any clue what the tour was all about, and four months after the expedition it’s still any one’s guess.
Then came the Asian Champions Trophy, where being Asian Champions Pakistan were expected to make their mark. It wasn’t to be, as we let India continue to get the better of us in recent years. Now over the past month or so, Pakistan has presented its crux by showcasing the best and the not so best simultaneously. The Super 9s was exciting, the results weren’t. However, after generating all sorts of news in the tri-nation tournament that followed Down Under the epic performance in the final ensured that the world of hockey took notice. The 3-2 victory in the final over Australia in its own backyard – a team we hadn’t got the better off since 2005 – ensured that the talk of Pakistan finally rediscovering the form of their halcyon days again took off.
As fate would have it, that epic victory came in the lead up to the FIH Champions Trophy and hence the expectations rose. Nonetheless, as is often the case, expectations and results are inversely proportional as far as Pakistan hockey is concerned. Losing out against each of Great Britain, Spain and Australia has been a huge disappointment in the group stages, when reaching the next round would have certified progress at a global stage.
What it has also done is that it has put Pakistan back in the middle of nowhere with the Olympics in the coming summer. The triumph in Australia created hope, losing three out of three before whipping South Korea 6-2 in the classification game in Auckland has wiped it all off.
And now with the series against China coming up the puzzle that Pakistan hockey is, would only become more mystifying. Even if they were to go on and give the Chinese a solid hammering, what exactly would that tell us about the direction of the team? Zilch. Pakistan hockey team is a brainteaser; once you believe you’ve figured them out, they throw in a bombshell.
Champions Trophy has turned out to be a nightmare for Pakistan hockey team and PHF. For Olympics PHF needs to take very quick steps. Fire the Foreign coach who they have hired from the Dutch 'D' development players league immediately. Give this team to the Greats of the past Shahnaz Sheikh and Manzoor Jr. Another legend from the past Samiullah Khan should be the advisor to the PHF, coaches and selection committee. Another star of the past Islahuddin should be Chairman of the new talent hunt in the country with assistants from all areas. So the assistants can look into grass roots and find players in villages, towns, districts, divisions, zones and provinces. Keep all these players who are playing and add some more. This was a real bad show by the team and with table showing 20 goals scored against them while they scored 11 can not be justified to the fans and the people of the country. Qasim forget about the POA elections for now and focus to get the team ready and prepared for Olympics.
It's pretty easy to see what is wrong with the Pakistan team.
1) The physique of the Pakistani players isn't anywhere near good enough for international hockey. Look at the photo of this article for instance. The German player is about as big as the two Pakistanis put together! The Australians, Spanish, English, Germans, Dutch etc are huge compared to the Pakistanis. Therefore these countries are faster, can protect the ball better and push the Pakistanis off the ball. Answer to this? Hit the gym, get proper fitness training/techniques and have a good diet.
You need a proper sports science coach like India has now. The Indian team coach says the Indians are about 8-10kg lighter than what they should be for international competition and they are working on it.
2) Not allowing players over 30 to play in domestic competition. It's good that Pakistan are trying to promote youth but you can't say everyone over 30 cannot play domestically. The world's best player (Jamie Dwyer) is 32! If they are good enough in their 30s they should play. If they are not, then don't play them. Don't put a blanket ban on all players over 30.
3) Learn modern hockey techniques. You never see the Pakistani's slap the ball (always going for the big wind-up so they are easy to pick off) and they always attack individually and not in groups. These are just a couple of obvious technical things that must be improved.
4) Nothing wrong with a foreign coach. Australian cricket team is coached by a South African, English soccer team coached by an Italian etc. However, I don't think a Dutch coach is right for Pakistan. Europeans are too defensive and it's not Pakistan's style. You need an Australian coach as they are attacking minded, know modern hockey, know modern sports science techniques and the Australian method of play is strongly influenced by Pakistan and India except it is a modern adaptation.
5) Body language. Watching the Pakistan team at the last Champions Trophy on TV they did not look like they had the belief that they could win it. If they went a goal down they looked totally crushed. Very poor attitude and body language. No self belief.
Hopefully Pakistan can get it right. They won't by the Olympics though. This sort of stuff takes years, not a few weeks! Beating Australia 3-2 in the tri-nations final (that means nothing) does not mean you're world beaters. Australia thumped Pakistan 8-2 earlier in that tournament and again in most contests since 2005. If you can sustain it then you are world beaters. If you do it once every few years then you're not even close.
fuk amrika
Comments are closed.