The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has appointed an internationally acclaimed coaching team as part of its long-term plan to revive Pakistan hockey and bring the national program back among the world’s top sides.
According to the federation, the appointments will become effective once contractual formalities are completed. Dutch coach Herman Kruis has been named Overall National Hockey Coaching Advisor and Head Coach.
Kruis will be responsible for developing a modern coaching philosophy for Pakistan hockey, setting technical standards, advising the senior national team management and helping establish a long-term high-performance pathway for the national program.
David Dwyer has been appointed Fitness and High-Performance Coach. He will introduce modern sports science methods, strength and conditioning programs, injury prevention strategies and elite performance management systems to improve the fitness standards of Pakistani players.
The PHF has named Adnan Zakir as Junior Talent Identification Coach. He will lead a structured nationwide talent identification program to discover and develop young players from across the country.
Bob Johan Veldhof has been appointed Goalkeeping Coach. The experienced specialist will work on modernizing goalkeeper training, introducing specialized coaching programs and mentoring local goalkeeping coaches.
Sports psychologist Chris Bowen will oversee the mental performance program, focusing on confidence, leadership, resilience, pressure management, motivation, team culture and psychological preparation for international competitions.
The international coaching staff will work across all Pakistan national teams, including the senior, junior, under-18, youth and women’s squads.
The federation said the objective is not limited to preparing teams for upcoming competitions, but also to building a sustainable and modern hockey development system in the country.
A major part of the program will focus on strengthening Pakistan’s coaching infrastructure. The international experts will work with local coaches through mentoring, technical workshops, practical training sessions, coaching education and continuous knowledge transfer.
The international coaching program will operate under the strategic supervision of the PHF Development Committee, led by Olympians Hassan Sardar and Islahuddin Siddiqui. The committee will oversee the implementation of the federation’s long-term technical development strategy.
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