An Interview with

Samiullah Khan
Pakistan Hockey Team Manager

'The sub-continent perhaps is the only place in the world where despite adverse results the public has stayed loyal to hockey. But it is about time that we give some good news to the hockey loving people of this country'

Samiullah is a legend whose very mention evokes images of a bolt on the left flank piercing through the opponent defenses at will. Recently he was called back by the PHF to manage Pakistan team. In this interview he shares his insight on the recent series against India, the greenshirts prospects in the forthcoming Champions Trophy and about what we need to do to get back to winning ways. Here are the excerpts.

Q: What to you was the significance of Pakistan's series victory over India?

A: Both Pakistan and India did not perform all that well at the Athens Olympics, and this series took place almost immediately after that. The good thing is that both the sides had put a right measure of emphasis on rebuilding, and thus there was induction of many youngsters into the squad. What is more, all of them were given ample opportunity to impress the hockey followers and the selectors.

So the importance of the series was manifold. It allowed both sides to leave the Olympic setback behind and move on. The youngsters that each team tried have had some exposure in high pressure games and this would come handy in the forthcoming Champions Trophy where India too has got a slot because the Australians have decided to not to take part on security grounds.

For Pakistan the series was important in the sense that we more or less maintained our superb victorious run against India that has seen us post 11 wins against two losses. The series was not of a very high quality perhaps because both teams are trying to get settled after a number of seniors either retired or were dropped.

But a series win is a series win and it surely has imbued the boys with the sense that compared to the Olympic Games they should dobetter in the Champion trophy.

Q: Would you recommend any further changes in the squad? Would you want to recall any of the seniors who have just retired?

A: No, not really. We should be looking to the future and not remain rooted to the past. And the future is with the youngsters. The only possible exception could be centre-half Mohammad Saqlain. And he was not given the sack because he was past it but on disciplinary grounds. Saqlain is a good centre-half who has a few years of hockey left in him, but even if he too is not called back, it would not really make a huge difference as Adnan Maqsood has so far done rather well.

Q: Were you surprised by the tremendous response that the Pakistan-India series got from the general public?

A: Personally I was not surprised,
'We are still one of the top teams and if we keep on making earnest and sincere efforts and think positive, there is no reason that we should not be able to see a revival in our fortunes'

because I know that hockey contests between the two sub-continental rivals have a very special significance with the people on both sides of the border. Even otherwise the sub-continent perhaps is the only place in the world where despite adverse results of the national teams the public has stayed loyal to hockey. That said it is about time that we give some good news to the hockey loving people of this country.

We are still one of the top teams and if form this we keep on making earnest and sincere efforts and think positive, there is no reason that we are not be final?
able to see a revival in our fortunes.The year 2006 is most important for us as the Asian Games and the World Cup is scheduled to take place then, and also the Junior World Cup. After the Champions Trophy, we should all concentrate on preparing for the challenges of 2006.

'The year 2006 is most important for us as the Asian Games and the World Cup is scheduled to take place then, and also the Junior World Cup. After the Champions Trophy, we should all concentrate on preparing for the challenges of 2006'

Q: What do you think are Pakistan's prospects in the Champions Trophy?

A: Well, as I have said before Pakistan is rated amongst the top four. But we should be aiming to improve our performance to the point where we are playing the finals more regularly. We have the potential but we need to make it a habit to win when it matters most. For instance, nobody gives a whit if we keep saying that we crashed out of the Olympics because of one defeat [against Spain]. That was the decisive match and we should have won it. Period.

I believe that we would be facing a similar situation and similar pressures during the Champions Trophy. Our task is cut out for us: from the three games against the sides rated higher than us, we have to win at least two to feature in the final.

Q: Do you think that on current Pakistan line-up has the skill and mental strength to have a realistic chance of making it to the?

A: Well, I am a very optimistic man, and I believe we can. Pakistan has beaten all top teams in the last two to three years. They only need to do it more frequently and fight hard in crucial games.

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