Newly appointed Pakistan hockey coachTahir Zaman has called for drastic changes to revive the team’s fortunes, targeting a rise of six to seven positions in global hockey rankings within the next two to three years.
Zaman, who left for China ahead of the Asian Champions Trophy, emphasized the need for long-term solutions to improve Pakistan’s standing, currently ranked 16th in the world.
In an exclusive interview with local media, Zaman highlighted his role as an observer initially, noting that he had not yet had the chance to work with the players.
“The team has already been training in Inner Mongolia for over a week, and I will join just hours before the tournament begins. My first task is to understand the team and assess each player’s abilities,” he said.
Pakistan has struggled to keep pace with top-ranked teams for over a decade, which Zaman attributes to a lack of exposure and consistent training, especially on the Astro-turf.
He underscored the importance of establishing a year-round High-Performance Centre to cultivate talent across all age groups, saying, “To compete with the world’s best, we need continuous training and a broader pool of players about 35 top-level athletes from which the national team can be selected.”
Zaman, who led Pakistan to victory in the 2013 Asian Champions Trophy, praised the natural adaptability of Pakistani players but stressed the need for proper exposure to world-class competition.
He refrained from making any predictions about Pakistan’s chances in the upcoming tournament until he could evaluate the team. Pakistan’s first match is scheduled against Malaysia on Sunday, September 8.
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