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Pakistan hockey will be back on top: PHF President
KARACHI: Pakistan’s new hockey supremo Tariq Kirmani on Thursday promised to shepherd the national sport to a successful revival but refrained from giving any time frame for the mammoth task.
Kirmani talked about his gut feeling "that we would get there" and also emphasised the need of professionalism as he faced a barrage of questions from sports journalists at his first meeting with the media people in Karachi since taking over as the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) President earlier this month.
"I am very confident that hockey would be back on top. It would require a team effort and it would take time but we would do it," assured Kirmani, given the new job by Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, PHF’s patron-in-chief.
Kirmani, who as Pakistan State Oil (PSO) chief, transformed it into one of the richest companies of the country, said he would take his time in studying the national hockey scenario before coming out with a comprehensive plan next month that would be aimed at lifting the sport to its former glory.
"I am working on a concrete plan for the promotion of hockey with the help of other (PHF) officials and former players. I would put it in front of you in February," he stated.
He pointed out that all was not lost for Pakistan hockey as the national team is still ranked number four in the world. "What we have to do is to bring it to number one and I have a gut feeling that we would get there," he said.
The PHF boss said that he was ready to lose "a few more battles in order to win the war," referring to a string of unimpressive results produced by the national hockey team in recent years. "I am not just targeting to win matches," he said. "My ultimate goal is to improve hockey."
Courtesy Geo