Hockey think-tank to discuss London plans today |
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20-Jun-2012
The News
Khalid Hussain
KARACHI: Pakistan hockey’s think-tank will go back to the drawing board on Wednesday (today) for one last time before this summer’s Olympic Games to finalise the preliminary squad for London 2012.
Asif Bajwa, the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) secretary, told ‘The News’ on Tuesday that the national team management, chief selector and officials of a back-up training camp will assemble at the PHF headquarters to give their inputs to PHF chiefs.
Qasim Zia, the PHF president, will chair the important meeting where the PHF will finalise the list of probables for the final phase of Olympic preparations.
“We will get inputs from all officials who have been associated with the team or back-up players besides listening to the views of the chief selector,” said Bajwa.
Akhtar Rasool and Khawaja Junaid, Pakistan’s head coach and coach respectively, will brief the PHF chiefs about their team’s showing on the recently-concluded tour of Europe. Pakistan lost their opening game against Belgium before bouncing back against European giants Germany and Netherlands during the brief training trip.
In addition, officials conducting a back-up training camp will also brief top PHF officials about the performance of players taking part in the exercise. The focus will be on a few senior players including former captains Shakeel Abbasi, Rehan Butt, Waseem Ahmed and Muhammad Imran. The quartet is hoping to return to national duty ahead of the Olympics. While Abbasi, Waseem and Imran are almost certain to return, Butt will have to pass a fitness test and also convince selectors about his form to earn a spot on Pakistan’s Olympic squad. PHF officials will conduct the fitness test on Friday (tomorrow).
Hanif Khan, Pakistan’s chief selector, will attend the meeting via telephone and give his input on the preliminary squad.
Bajwa said that the PHF will select around 25-26 players for the final phase of training which will begin on June 26 in Abbottabad. Pakistan’s 16-man squad for London 2012 and two reserve players will be selected after trials in the first week of July.
Pakistan will leave for England around 15 days before the Olympics gets underway on July. They will set up base camp in Birmingham from July 12 before moving to London two weeks later. The Greenshirts, three-time Olympic champions, will begin their Olympic campaign with a potentially explosive Pool A game against Spain on July 30. The other teams in Pakistan’s group include world number ones Australia, hosts Great Britain, Argentina and South Africa.
Source: http://www.thenews.com.pk/
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