HOCKEY DEFEATS; ANALYSIS AND FUTURE ACTIONS

 HOCKEY DEFEATS; ANALYSIS AND FUTURE ACTIONS

PROF WAQAR HUSSAIN ( EX- HOCKEY PLAYER)

                Pakistan hockey team is the only one in the world to achieve twice “Grand Slams Titles” including Olympic Games, World Cup, Champions Trophy, Asian Games and Asia Cup simultaneously. It is the unique distinction earned only by Pakistan. Suddenly this winning scenario changed into a horrible landscape of defeats. Something went wrong; when, where, why, by whom? The questions must be probed as now we have no illustrious title except Asian game. The recent devastating defeat of 7-0 against Australia forced Pakistan to go out of medals race. Pakistan just finished at 7^th position, shattering the dreams of 180 million Pakistanis for whom hockey is the sole game to make boasts of. Now it is the time to undergo autopsy for the umpteen times to diagnose the malady to analyze the real causes of defeats; then formulate a comprehensive policy and finally implement it honestly to regain the lost glory. There are many reasons behind this chain of debacles and all are rectifiable.

       First; fresh, fleshy, fatty legs are required. Pakistan must realize the demands of modern hockey, played on Astroturf with modified rule. Astroturf asks for robust physique having fresh, fleshy and fatty legs as the running on it is a cumbersome, wearisome and burdensome job due to sticking of polymer of boot with that of Astroturf’s. Adding salt to the injuries, the speed of ball is too high on this surface that only the stronger, stout and straight legs can run with the speedy ball and counter the hurdles created by this sticky surface. So Pakistan needs to select tall, sturdy and young players. Look at Ric Charlesworth’s comments after the match. He said; “playing against Germans will be more difficult as they are such a bigger and strong side” .Have you ever ponder who won in the final of Olympics; a technique or physique?

           An Australian Scott advised Pakistan: “Pakistanis seriously need to get a good diet and hit the gym before they will challenge. They need to put on muscle / weight as some members of your team do not have muscle mass”.

             Second; modern technique is required. Scott, an Australian, has rightly pointed on our weakness of technique: He says, “Pakistanis belts the ball from the flanks into the circle hoping for goal deflection. It just never happens as defenses set up walls and the chances of scoring like this is probably 5% (Pakistan does this but India does it far more and it never works. That is just an old grass hockey tactic.)

            Pakistani players lift their stick to hit the ball from the top of circle. Most goals are scored seven metres from the goal, not from the top of the circle. It you raise your stick to belt the ball; the defender can easily knock the ball away. Look at the Glen Turner’s goal against Pakistan. It was a classic modern day hockey goal where the goal was scored from two metres out. Also, look at South Korea’s goal against India. The player slapped the ball (not hit) from just inside the circle giving the defender no chance to pick him off”.

          So slapping in modern hockey is as good as hitting. I personally think that the mastery skill in stopping, slapping and scooping is the key to success.  You need to create predetermined lacunas, and then push the ball there to create an opportunity for goal.

       The individual dribbling is fruitless as it provide the time for the opponents to get back to their goal post and to defend the onslaught successfully. Dribbling should be mixed with short and long passes as Australians are doing.

        Third; countrywide breeding sites are required. In recent past, country has lost “breeding network” at the grass-root level. Formerly there were many schools patronizing hockey and producing players of international repute. For an instance, M.C.High School Gojra, during the reign of PT Yaqoob and others, produced over fifty national hockey players like Aslam goalkeeper, Manzoor Hussain senior, Shahbaz senior, Rasheed uls Hassan, Tahir Zaman, etc. Now school teams are almost vanished for the lack of funds and commitment of school administration. Similarly, Govt.T.I High School Chenab Nagar produced many players who earned national cap like Tahir Beg, Iftikhar, Naeem, Manzoor Niazi, Khalid Mahmood, etc, now; this very school has no hockey team. Thus there is need to rehabilitate school teams extending up to village level. Then we need to engage schools, colleges and clubs to have strong domestic competitions.

            Fouth; establish elected management body. Previously, affiliated clubs used to elect the members of the district body which in turn used to elect members of the divisional body, similarly gyrating up to provincial body. These elections resulted in selecting competent and committed persons who had the potential to groom the raw-talent into polished national player. Now, their place is occupied by incompetent, opportunist persons as a result of engineered elections. They even don’t know the ABC of hockey. So, a competent, honest and dedicated management bodies are required to control the affair of the game from village team to the national one.PHF has failed to nourish fruit from nation’s rich hockey history and from the passion of the game which is soaring high. It needs to be more vibrant, effective and effervescent.

               Fifth; conduct countrywide tournaments under the monitoring of National Selection Committee. Previously, Inter-District Championships, Inter-Division Championships and Inter-Provincial Championships were held every year under the auspice of PHF. Now these tournaments are almost abolished, thus loosing an opportunity to pick promising youth. Furthermore, the training opportunity of young player has also been lost.                                                                                                             Sixth; National Selection Committee should have pivotal role and above board credibility. As the said committee has lost its effectiveness and has become an unanswerable divine body. In the case of defeat, responsibility is fixed either on coach or on the players. No one question Selection Committee which is geared by persons having political influence thus enjoys supreme authority. Furthermore, it is the modus operandi of the selection committee to select players from mega cities, thus ignoring promising gems of far-flung and down trodden areas.

            

                 Seventh; groom the competent and credible umpires. Latifs Ghaznavi, ex-International hockey umpire, criticized the substandard umpiring level of Pakistani umpires. He fixed its responsibility on IHF for this very rule of umpire’s retirement at the age of 45. He iterated that there is no substitute for experience thus umpire should continue its services as long as his eyesight and physique is well. He further said it is a matter of great shame as there was no Pakistani umpire on the panel of London Olympics, this clearly indicates quality and credibility of Pakistani umpires. There must be a proper mechanism for selection and grooming of umpires. We should take leaf out of Aleem Dar’s book!

                  Eight; lay more Astroturf. At present, Grass pitches out number artificial surfaces. Thus more Astroturf should be installed by involving philanthropists apart from government revenue. Players of sub urban area should be called for training camps during summer and winter vacation to have experience of Astroturf.

                  Ninth; select boys instead of men. “There is no substitute of experience” this maxim does not stand true in case of modern hockey which demands vigorous stamina, dashing speed and untiring legs. So, younger players must be preferred over the older ones.

                  Tenth; junior teams should be given international exposure. The younger players should be taken to other Asian as well as European countries for club matches in order to give them outside exposure and experience.

                    Keep in mind; this is not the end of hockey in Pakistan. Soon the world will see us on the horizon of glory. In fact, it is the appropriate time to get it right. As, defeat bring fresh stimulus; newer strength and time for self analysis. Havelock Ellis once said: “Defeat brings prudence and concentration, it ennobles and fortifies.” Now it is the time to take actions!