KARACHI, Aug 3: Pakistan hockey top brass’s non-professional attitude finally produced the result many feared as former the superpower were humiliated 7-1 by minnows New Zealand at the Commonwealth semifinals in Manchester, the country’s worst-ever defeat.

It could be truly called as a black day for Pakistan hockey which has slumped to its lowest ebb after the thrashing from the Kiwis. All that happened was basically because of the incompetence of PHF management.

If one analyses the reports, it is not only the defence, which according to coach did not click, where were the forwards who could not score what to talk about forcing the penalty corners to let Sohail Abbas finish the job.

The officials at the bench replaced out-of-sorts goalkeeper Ahmad Alam with Mohammad Qasim in the 9th minute after he conceded two goals within three minutes.

Why Ahmad was recalled for the Games if the PHF and the team officials did not have faith in him. And where was recalled centre-forward Kamran Ashraf when the team being annihilated by a very ordinary outfit.

But the million-dollar question is why the team surrendered so easily despite Pakistan Hockey Federation’s (PHF) decision of recalling “veterans” for the Games.

The answer is simple. Pakistan doesn’t need the old horses to perform against youthful teams, a suggestion which was repeatedly given from different quarters to the PHF.

The rudderless PHF hierarchy did exactly what it was being expected by inviting three “veterans” — Kamran Ashraf, Ahmad Alam, and Naveed Alam.

The first two were even inducted into the squad for a back- breaking two-month long tour, including four Tests in Spain, the Games, and all-important Champions Trophy in Cologne, Germany.

The step came after the PHF backpedalled and reverted their decision of axing the seniors after the Kuala Lumpur World Cup earlier this year.

The point is what Pakistan has achieved after including the seniors, although the PHF has inexperienced but younger players. It would have been more beneficial had the PHF stuck to its earlier stance of infusing young blood to prepare for the 2004 Athens Olympics.

Australia, having number of juniors among their ranks, have displayed their prowess at the Games. Reigning world champions Germany, fielded almost a junior team at the 1998 Champions Trophy in Lahore.

Both the sides are now reaping rewards, making profitable investment by focussing on youth, while Pakistan, once the nightmare for the Europeans, are nose diving by ignoring the youngsters.

Agreed the results might not have been opposite if some rookies were drafted into the squad. But at least the young guns would have tasted international experience which would have definitely helped them prepare for future assignments.

The PHF ought to change its plans. It should summon the squad back home, take remedial steps, investigate the cause of defeat, axe the over-the-hill players, add some youngsters and dispatch the squad to Cologne for the Champions Trophy.

But now there should be no simple let bygones be bygones. The precarious condition and the turbulent times that Pakistan hockey is going through needs some soul searching.

If one study the showing of the team during the last two years, the picture is not as rosy as the PHF tries to paint.

Sydney Olympics in 2000 was the first test the present PHF bosses faced where Pakistan finished fourth.

The team lost to arch-rivals India on penalty shootout in the Prime Minister’s Gold Cup in Dhaka last year March. Needless to say that India were the only notable side of the tournament.

The greenshirts surrendered their Azlan Shah Cup title last year where the team conceded no less than 25 goals.

Pakistan settled at fourth place at the Champions Trophy last year in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, despite the presence of prolific but aging striker Shahbaz Ahmad.

It was only the pre-World Cup event in Kuala Lumpur where the national side excelled. It proved a flash in the pan and the fifth position was all Pakistan could do at the Kuala Lumpur showpiece.

But the recent ignominy is too much to digest for any hockey lover.

The team, during the last two years, has also seen frequent changes in its management. First, the PHF replaced Islahuddin Siddiqi and Iftikhar Syed with Brig Sajjad Khokhar as manager and Hanif Khan, Khawaja Junaid and Shahbaz Ahmad as coaches.

Following the Kuala Lumpur debacle, Col Zafar Ali Khan (retd) took over as manager and Tahir Zaman as coach being assisted by Asif Bajwa.

Changing of guards after each loss has been a tradition in Pakistan hockey that has done no good to sport. The team prepares, goes abroad, loses against underdogs, and comes back. But nobody has been held accountable for the defeats.

Who is responsible for the humiliation at the Games, players, team officials, selectors, or the PHF itself?.

The president of PHF, Gen Aziz Khan, is a serving army general, who naturally has professional commitments and less time to directly involve himself in hockey affairs. But the PHF has a full- time secretary in Lahore.

It is time the PHF president takes cognizance of the situation’s gravity and puts the Lahore-based official on his toes or he can even find a replacement.

Being the key official, Brig Musaratullah Khan, who also travels along with the team to watch the performance at offshore events, a voluntary resignation by him is a more dignified way to settle things.

This time the nation does not need a simple apology by the PHF. Even accepting the onus of the defeat in Manchester would not be enough. What Pakistan hockey needs now is a total change of guards at PHF whose policies have resulted in country hitting the pits.