KARACHI, Oct 25: Former national coach Olympian Shahnaz Shaikh has said that Pakistan hockey is in a state of confusion after appointment of Roelant Oltmans as team's chief coach.

"While our boys are groomed in Asian style, they are trained and coached in European style and structure," he said in a television programme.

"We under Asian style of hockey believe that best offence is the best defence while Europeans think otherwise - best defence is the best offence," he observed.

He said European style is totally opposite to Asian style. When players are trained on different lines, it naturally confuses them, he added.

Instead of adopting Asian formation we are working against it, we should instead counter European style, he pointed out. "We must be innovative and tactical while countering European style to achieve best results," he remarked.

He was highly critical of Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) for appointment of a foreign coach on a huge remuneration.

"When a US$50 Pakistani coach was able to achieve fourth position, what is the purpose of appointing a foreign coach on a massive fee who got Pakistan fifth spot at Athens," he said.

He recalled that no foreign coach had ever won a gold medal for foreign teams and added when Pakistan won the World Cup in Sydney in 1994, Hans Jorrisma was a foreign trainer and not a recognized coach.

"Look at Barry Dancer, who helped his native Australians to win the first-ever gold medal at Athens," he informed and said "when Barry was coach of English team in 2000 Olympics in Sydney, they finished almost nowhere."

"It was native Dutch coach who helped his team win back gold in 1996, 2000 Olympics," he recalled.

Shahnaz Shaikh complimented Sohail Abbas for creating the world record of scoring 268 goals in the Dosti Series against India. He highly lauded president Pervez Musharraf for announcing a lucrative Rupees two million cash award for Sohail.

"It's a great step to help boost hockey by providing cash incentives to a world record holder. It's a great achievement and we are proud of his record," he said adding that despite his fantastic achievements, Sohail had yet to prove himself a tournament winner.

"He is a match-winner and not a tournament-winner," he remarked and said "since joining Pakistan team, he had never won any title for the country."

He maligned Australians for pulling out of the Champions Trophy and said when top European teams like the Netherlands, Germany, Spain and New Zealand will be featuring in the Trophy, withdrawal by Australians was disappointing.

He said Indians on the basis of their recent performance against Pakistan would be among the favourites in the Champions Trophy.

"If their two senior players like Gagan Ajit Singh and Probhojat Singh return to the team for Champions Trophy, it would make Indians a strong combination," he commented.

Shahnaz believed that as Germany and the Netherlands would be trying their younger lot in the Champions Trophy, it would be a little easier for other teams to face them.

Former Olympian Samiullah admitted that Pakistan team lacked consistency and termed it the team's most serious drawback.-APP