KARACHI, Oct 17: Pakistan Hockey Federation’s (PHF) double standards were exposed when it recalled ageing former captain Shahbaz Ahmad but decided against asking goalkeeper Ahmad Alam to reverse his retirement decision.

Although the impact of Shahbaz’s inclusion in the team for next month’s Champions Trophy is yet to be seen, the PHF’s policy of ignoring Ahmad has certainly dealt a bitter blow to Pakistan hockey.

Ahmad, a former Pakistan skipper and country’s best goalkeeper, announced his retirement in August citing a dip in his form days after the team returned securing fourth position at Azlan Shah Cup in Kuala Lumpur.

However, there were reasons for his decision to quit other than just his failure under the bar in the Malaysian capital.

The fact that it was merely a bad patch for Ahmad was evident from his performance at the four-nation tournament in Germany in June-July where he was named Goalkeeper-of-the-Tournament.

The presence of a reliable ’keeper would have obviously bolstered the national side, still in the process of regaining its lost glory.

But the PHF chose 35-year-old Shahbaz to add firepower to the forward-line rather than going for a dependable goalkeeper.

Shahbaz, not only famous for his agility in the field but also for the revolt he led against the PHF in 1996, has staged his second comeback after little over three years. Interestingly, he will be playing along with the same bunch of players whom he was coaching a few days ago.

The decision was mind-boggling keeping in view the fact that modern day hockey needs the best goalkeeper, especially since the off-side rule has been abolished.

While Ahmad was cold shouldered, what compelled PHF to recall controversial Shahbaz, who had hung his boots more than once, is a million-dollar question. Apparently, it seems to be a case of ‘ego problem’.

“I would say the federation should have asked him (Ahmad) to comeback, at least till the World Cup in 2002. Indeed he didn’t fare well in Kuala Lumpur, his departure at this stage is a severe blow to Pakistan hockey.

The PHF should have had a pep talk with him after his decision,” former Pakistan goalkeeper, Shahid Ali Khan, said.

The former ’keeper agreed that since at least 60 to 70 percent game depends on the goalkeeper, the team needed Ahmad to face the challenge at Champions Trophy in Rotterdam.

Shahid said he had been assigned by the PHF to produce Ahmad’s replacement in three months for the prestigious World Cup next February in Kuala Lumpur.

“(Mohammad) Qasim has good reflexes but will take a long time to become a reliable ’keeper. His potential has been wasted during the last four years as he was not given the kind of chances he needed for international exposure,” he said.

The Pakistan number two goalkeeper, Qasim has now been brought in to fill in the vacuum created after Ahmad’s retirement.

Pakistan face an uphill task in Rotterdam where they take on teams like the Netherlands, Germany, Australia, South Korea, and England.

Apart from World Cup, greenshirts will also participate in the Commonwealth Games in Manchester, Asian Games in Pusan and Germany’s Champions Trophy next year.