Australian coach: joins Pakistan hockey team as trainer

KARACHI: Australian Jesse Wilson Workman has joined Pakistan hockey team in its training camp as a trainer and will help the Green-shirts finalise their preparations for 2020 Olympics qualifiers.

Informed sources in the Pakistan hockey team management said that the Australian coach was hired for giving last touches to the players’ preparation. He has been working with the players for more than a week.

Manager-cum-head coach Olympian Khwaja Junaid said that Jesse Wilson Workman would also accompany the team during the tour of Germany and the Netherlands. He said that the Australian coach was working as a trainer. “He will remove the shortcomings of our players,” he added.

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s main goalkeeper Amjad Ali got injured on Thursday during a practice match against Pakistan Navy when he tried to stop an attack. His left hand was injured when it was struck by the hockey stick of a player.

Juniad said that Amjad’s injury was not serious and he would recover in a couple of days. “He will accompany us during the tour as he is our main goalkeeper,” he added. He further said that Pakistan hockey team won two practice matches against Navy.

He added that during the Germany and the Netherlands tour, Mubashir would be the first-choice drag flicker on penalty corner. “Abu Bakar is number two. Besides, Rizwan Ali and Irfan Sr will also be prepared for that role,” Junaid said.

He mentioned that Irfan Sr had been included as the 19th member of Pakistan team and he would join the team in the Netherlands. “For the centre forward position, we have prepared Rana Sohail, who is a promising player. He played well in domestic hockey and the training camp. He is young and energetic and plays well in the D area where we needed a skillful player,” said the head coach.

He also mentioned that seven new players have been inducted in the team keeping in mind the future requirements. “We hope that they will prove their worth in the coming tour and cement their positions through good display of their skill and talent in this tour. “During the two matches against Germany. I will use all players in order to find the best combination for the qualifiers,” said Junaid.