Former Pakistan hockey player calls for foreign coach after World Cup disappointment

Former Pakistan hockey player Adnan Shaukat has called for the appointment of a world-class foreign coach, saying Pakistan

By Muhammad Waqas

LAHORE:  Former Pakistan hockey player Adnan Shaukat has called for the appointment of a world-class foreign coach, saying Pakistan can return to the top tier of international hockey if it improves its coaching and player-development system.

Speaking in an interview, Shaukat expressed disappointment over Pakistan’s 11th-place finish at the recent Hockey World Cup, saying the young team had the potential to finish among the top eight.

He particularly advocated the appointment of Australian coach Colin Batch, saying his international record and experience could help transform Pakistan’s hockey fortunes.

“Pakistan has no shortage of talent. Our players are technically very good and can compete with the best in the world, but we are lacking at the coaching and tactical level,” Shaukat said.

He pointed to players such as Hannan Shahid and Ammad Butt, describing them as highly talented and capable of competing against players from leading hockey nations.

Shaukat also stressed the need to expand Pakistan’s player pool and strengthen the domestic hockey structure. He said Germany, the Netherlands and other leading hockey nations had developed effective systems from grassroots level to international competition, while Pakistan needed greater investment in schools, academies and domestic tournaments.

Discussing Colin Batch, Shaukat said the Australian coach had achieved significant success at the international level and could bring modern coaching methods, tactical planning and high-performance standards to Pakistan.

However, he acknowledged that finances could be a major obstacle.

“The Pakistan Hockey Federation needs to focus on marketing, sponsorships and corporate partnerships if it wants to afford a world-class coach,” he said.

Shaukat also questioned Pakistan’s coaching arrangements at the World Cup, claiming that the team’s coach was primarily a goalkeeping specialist rather than a specialist head coach for the entire field team.

He said Pakistan needed a comprehensive high-performance setup comprising a head coach, specialist coaches, fitness experts, analysts and other support staff.

“The 11th position is not satisfactory. The players themselves are disappointed because they believed they could finish in the top eight,” Shaukat said.

He called for a long-term roadmap covering coaching, grassroots development, sports science, fitness, regular international exposure and financial stability, saying these measures were essential if Pakistan wanted to challenge the world’s leading hockey nations in future tournaments.