KARACHI, Sept 5: Taking a cue from the national hockey team’s chief coach Khawaja Zakauddin and coach Naveed Alam, both of whom handed in their resignations soon after touching Pakistani soil on returning from China on Aug 25 in the aftermath of the team’s failure at the Beijing Games, former Olympian and chairman of the national selection committee Islahuddin Siddiqui also tendered his resignation on Friday.

“I rang up Jamali Sahib in Islamabad and Asif Bajwa in Lahore who respect my decision to leave,” said the former right-winger while speaking to Dawn.

When asked if by bowing out gracefully, he was taking responsibility for the poor show at Beijing by the team which was selected by him for the Games, Islah said: “Absolutely not. If you ask me the selection committee carried out its job very well.

We picked out the best boys from those available. The manager and coaches too were all satisfied with the squad as it was a good team — a fine combination of juniors and senior players with experience and new outlook.

“I am resigning because as chairman of the selection committee I too happen to be part and parcel of the officials of the team that let the nation down at Beijing,” said Islah who in 1978 captained the side that won the World Cup along with the Champions Trophy and the Asian Games.

Asked about the future of the national hockey team with almost all of the top officials quitting the scene, Islah said: “I think that the PHF should now bring in new people to take on the responsibilities of coaching, managing and selection.”

When asked if he had any particular names in mind, the outgoing chairman said: “That’s not for me to say.”

When asked what caused Pakistan team’s debacle when, according to him, it comprised the best possible players, he said: “They missed too many opportunities in the shape of five to six penalty corners but that is not the selection committee’s fault as the team management should be held responsible for it.

“Frankly, there is no apparent reason why they played so badly, especially when PHF President Zafararullah Jamali too offered the boys handsome incentives to boost their performance levels,” said Islah.

The former player took charge as the team’s chief coach and manager in February 2007 for a two-year stint that also included the Olympics assignment but he was asked to switch places with Khawaja Zakauddin as chief selector in January 2008 after a foot injury during the Champions Trophy camp in Sept 2007 which put him (Islah) out of action for several months.

“I was looking forward to a rebuilding process for the national team back then which I had already said would take us at least three to four years.

But the Olympics was also just around the corner and we were in a rush to show results,” said Islah.

Although Pakistan came fourth in the four-nation tournament in Moscow in April 2007, the team never lost a match there while drawing with Moscow, China, Malaysia and even Australia. But then followed failures in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup and the Goodluck Beijing Hockey Invitational Tournament.

About his future with the PHF, a slightly emotional Islah said: “Right now I can only talk about resigning. But hockey is my life, my first love, my identity ... I never cared for important posts as long as we make progress in the game.

“I wish the sport well and will always be available for my country and the betterment of national hockey.”