Pakistan men’s hockey head coach Tahir Zaman is lobbying for foreign coaches for the national team, underlining the importance of specialists to strengthen the side ahead of major international assignments.
Speaking about areas that require immediate attention, Zaman said Pakistan must seek overseas expertise particularly in strength and conditioning and goalkeeping, two departments he believes are critical for the team’s progress.
“These are the fields where we need significant improvement. Foreign coaches are often better equipped with modern knowledge and methods, and we want to bring in the best experts available,” Zaman explained.
The head coach stressed that improvements in physical fitness and goalkeeping could have a transformative impact on the team’s overall performance.
Foreign coaches for the Pakistan hockey team would not be a new sight. Hans Jorritsma, Roelant Oltmans, Michel van den Heuvel, and most recently Siegfried Aikman have all led Pakistan on the international stage. Richard Snitcher (penalty corner specialist), Bob Johan Veldhof (goalkeeping coach), and Daniel Berry (strength and conditioning coach) also served in specialised roles with the team in the past.
Tahir Zaman, however, isn’t likely to get his wish. The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) is already dealing with a financial crunch and reportedly doesn’t have enough funds to pay its players. It is unlikely that, in such times, PHF would loosen the purse strings to hire a foreign coach who would command a hefty fee.
Without specialised coaching, Pakistan may find the upcoming assignments in the FIH Pro League too challenging. But if history is anything to go by, the team won’t go down without a fight.
