Wanted: A long-term, resource intensive plan for Pakistan hockey

Pakistan’s hockey team returned home from China on Friday after winning a bronze medal at the Asian Champions Trophy.

Once the biggest powerhouse in the hockey world, Pakistan have slumped in standings and even bronze medals at Asian-level events have been few and far between in recent times.

However, hopes were high when Pakistan went to China because the team has been showing signs of improvement. There were hopes that the Pakistanis will at least reach the final of the tournament.

But a shock defeat in a penalty shoot-out against China, whom Pakistan has thrashed 5-1 in pool stages of the event, ended Pakistan’s hopes for the title.

Their inability to win any major title has once against raised questions whether the national team was capable of reviving the country’s lost glory in hockey.

"We need a long-term plan"

Ask Mohammad Usman, a former Olympian currently serving as the team’s manager, and he will tell you that only a resource intensive and long-term plan can put the team on the path of progress.

“Don’t imagine that we are world or Olympic champions. We are not champions anymore,” Usman told Nukta hours after Pakistan team’s return from China.

“Japan also have been Asian champions. Besides them, India, China and Pakistan were the best teams in the Asian Champions Trophy and anyone could have won the tournament. China lost to India narrowly and where do you rate them. It means that they have worked hard and made long-term plans,” he said.

“We should also realise that we should not work on an ad-hoc basis and opt for long-term plans. I am confident if we make long-term plans then we will be able to come in top four or six teams in the world in two to three years,” Usman said.

Usman emphasized the need of quality exposure to the national players which, he believes, is the only way to strengthen the team.

“We need to play 30 to 35 matches, mostly in Europe or against Australia, every year. The government should make all the arrangement. It should take care of us and provide the players international level environment. And then you will see that Pakistan will once again emerge as a world force,” he said.

Usman claimed that the missing links (players who have recently defected and are now in Europe) did not affect the team’s strength.

“It did not affect our combination. And the new players who had been inducted did well. We have formed a 30-member pool and from that we picked the final squad. I don’t know what is their (players who opted to settle in Europe) compulsion but you know top priority should be given to the country,” he said.

A glimpse of the match between Pakistan and India in Hulunbuir, China.Asian Hockey Federation

Going into the semi-finals undefeated, Pakistan were beaten by China 2-0 in penalty shootout in the pre-final. They then downed South Korea 5-2 in the third-place show to win bronze.

Usman said that Pakistan’s goalkeeper did not play badly in penalty shootout.

“Goalkeeper stopped two penalties (in the shootout). The issue was that our players did not score goals,” he said.

“I will give credit to the Chinese goalie who conceded minimum goals in the event and was also declared as the best gloveman of the tournament,” he said.

“It means that he faced the maximum five goals from us. If you see their other results, they narrowly won their matches,” Usman added.

Usman admitted that losing the semis was shocking.

“The only upset we faced on the tour is the loss at the hands of China in the semi-finals. Tahir Zaman also joined us before the start of the event and we were hopeful that we would play the final. You know had we played final against India it would have been a different game as anything could have happened,” Usman said.

“Tahir’s joining as a head coach was positive as we had a good bonding with him and he is no doubt a good coach,” he said.

Usman defended a slightly sluggish start to the event when Pakistan were held 2-2 by both Malaysia and Korea in their initial two games.

“The setback with us in those games was that when we were scoring goals, we got a bit relaxed. We were leading in both games. In the second game against South Korea, we were leading 2-0. As Tahir bhai had just joined and after two drawn games things started going our way as he (Tahir) handled the things nicely,” Usman said.

After two drawn games Pakistan defeated Japan 2-1 before crushing China 5-1 to blast their way into the semi-finals where China prevailed over the Green-shirts in penalty shootout following a 1-1 draw.