Pakistan Hockey Federation to replace head coach

In what has come as a “shock” to the players, the Pakistan Hockey Federation has decided to replace their current head coach, Australia’s Colin Batch, with former Olympian Manzoor ul Hasan for the upcoming FIH Pro Nations League and the World Cup.

Sources close to the players said they were stunned to learn that instead of Batch, the PHF had gone ahead and named Manzoor as head coach.

Manzoor is a celebrated defender who played in the 70s and 80s. A player, on condition of anonymity. said on Wednesday that the PHF’s decision was “recipe for disaster”.

“We were all happy that Colin Batch who is a qualified coach and aware of the modern-day hockey requirements would be guiding us in two major events including the World Cup and now we get this shock,” he said.

The interim PHF set-up also named a national selection committee headed by another celebrated Olympian Samiullah Khan. The other selectors include Naeem Akhtar, Kashif Jawad, Muhammad Khalid, Nasir Ali and Atif Bashir.