No One Could Bring Good Results Overnight - - Said Pakistan's Newly Appointed Hockey Coach and Manager, Khawaja Junaid

LAHORE: Pakistan's newly appointed hockey coach and manager, Khawaja Junaid, reiterated that his main objective was to build the team into a cohesive unit before aiming to win any major championship.

Pakistan's and Khawaja's first big test will come next month at the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and while the former Olympian sounded confident, he believed any hopes for a major rebound on the international circuit would take a long time.

Khawaja Junaid said that although he was enjoying his job with the junior team, he had no choice but to accept the offer to coach the senior side after Pakistan's disaster at the hockey World Cup this year. He said that he had accepted the post with a clear intention to put the national team back on the right track.

“I will not like to set any winning or positional target for the team for the Azlan Shah Cup but I do wish to send the team in the playfield as a well-knit unit that plays to its true potential,” Khawaja said.

“I'm not looking for miracles but the team should give a tough time to the bigger teams and not lose to weak sides like it did in the World Cup,” he added.

Asked if he would like to take the same team which featured in the World Cup to Azlan Shah, he said that although a good number of players from that team could become a part of his team, he would still prefer a 10 to 15 per cent change.

“I think some outstanding players from the ongoing national championship should also be given a chance. Though I could not watch all the national championship matches myself but Chief Selector Hanif Khan is keeping a close watch. I will be leaving for Karachi shortly to see the players in action there,” he said.

Khawaja stressed that no one could bring good results overnight.

He said that in his view Pakistan was as good as any other team in the international arena but lacked some key attributes that were essential in the modern day game.

“Our players are not very different from German hockey players and other good players of the world as they all are very skilful,” he said.

According to the coach, however, Pakistan were below par as far as mental and physical strength was concerned.

He also expressed his concern over Pakistan's goalkeeping department where the national side didn’t seem to have any world-class players after Salman Akbar left to play in the Dutch league hockey.

“Having no good options in the goalkeeping department is my main worry. It is something about which we have to think about in detail,” he said.