Manzoor Junior set to become PHF chief selector

ISLAMABAD: The most decorated of the Pakistan hockey player and winner of every major international title Manzoor Junior is set to get the job of national selection committee head in the new setup to be announced shortly.

A well-placed source in the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has told ‘The News’ that the federation’s hierarchy has decided to take a fresh start making the best use of the available resources and take the foreign support wherever there is no alternate available in the country.

“We have decided in principle that the 1982 Los Angeles medal-winning team captain Manzoor Junior will head the new hockey selection committee to be constituted shortly. He is one of the leading and most respectable names of hockey in the country. Manzoor Junior holds the distinction of winning every major international title that was at stake at the start of 1980s. Besides being a quality player of yester years, he is one of the most dedicated of Olympians, who want to contribute for the national game in a big way. We want to utilise his experience and his bright eyes would help us spot stars of the future,” one of the leading PHF officials, when contacted, said.

It has also been learnt that the committee members would include Wasim Feroze, Zeeshan Ashraf and Khalid Hameed.

“We are considering names of these three as members of the new selection committee. There could be one odd adjustment but the future PHF selection committee would revolve around these names,” the official said.

The immediate responsibility of the new selection committee is to help regroup Pakistan team for the international events including the forthcoming Olympic qualifying match expected to be held in September and October.

“At the moment I have to admit there is a need to make a fresh start, regroup the team and pick the best available probables for the forthcoming international commitments. I have to admit that the task for the new selection committee is tough and difficult. I am confident and hopeful that the new selection committee would make all-out efforts to help the PHF get the best available squad for the international events.”

With the National Hockey Championship starting in Karachi in less than a week time, the new selection body would be entrusted with powers to watch every match and pick the best probables for the future training and coaching.

“At the end of National Championship starting in Karachi from July 23, the selection committee headed by Manzoor Junior would announce a list of probables for the national camp.”

The PHF is also in final stages to shortlist coaches and managers for the future international teams.

“Yes, we are also in final stages to pick the best possible combination of coaches for national team. We have two things in mind and that is to pick coaches for pending international commitments and to think in a broader scale and that is to select long-term coach that could well be a foreigner.”