A group of thirty-three players, which includes juniors who showcased their skills in the recent World Cup, is set to commence the second phase of national camp training at the Naseer Bunda Hockey Stadium starting December 26. This intensive training session aims to prepare the team for the upcoming Paris Olympic Qualifying round.
One of the coaches informed the local media that we will now retain only half of the players who were actively training in Islamabad before the arrival of the junior players. The entire junior squad for the World Cup will be incorporated into the second phase of the training camp, which will remain operational until the team departs for the Olympic Qualifiers.
He mentioned that upon the arrival of head coach Roelant Oltmans on January 2, the final selection will include the best available players who have joined the camp by that time.
He said, “Oltmans is expected to join the training camp as head coach on January 2. However, before that, the second phase will get underway at the Bunda Ground on December 26.”
The coach expressed optimism that Pakistan would field a formidable team for the Olympic qualifier in Oman, aiming for competitiveness on the international stage.
He added, “This event is very important for Pakistan hockey. We have missed the last two Olympics and here comes a very good chance of making it to the Paris Olympics.”
He also highlighted that the Pakistan pool comprises Great Britain, China, and Malaysia. Securing victory in two matches would propel us to the semifinals, bringing us closer to Olympic qualification. The top three teams from Oman will advance to the Paris Olympics.
The coach also emphasized that including juniors in the camp would contribute to elevating the overall standard of competition.
The initial phase of the camp concluded recently, with 36 players undergoing intensive training under the vigilant supervision of national coaches. The junior players were unable to participate in the training camp, as they were actively engaged in competing at the World Cup in Kuala Lumpur.
The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) intends to hold two-day trials in the first week of January to finalize the touring squad.
