Captain of Pakistan team Zeeshan Ashraf said from New Delhi, India, that all the 18 players while taking responsibility for the team's poor show at the mega event had decided to retire from international hockey —AFP Photo

LAHORE Confusion and blame-game continued in the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) as officials, team management and players took collision-course after a disastrous World Cup performance.

The PHF on Thursday sacked the team management and the entire selection committee following the national team's worst ever performance in the World Cup in India.

Pakistan finished last among the 12 competing teams in the World Cup on Thursday after a lowly-ranked Canada beat Zeeshan Ashraf's men 3-2 in extra-time.

Unlike the Pakistan Cricket Board which refused to hold the team management accountable for the disastrous cricket tour of Australia, PHF President Qasim Zia wasted no time in removing the team management as well as the national selection committee soon after the shameful defeat against Canada.

Later, talking to newsmen, he said that Asif Bajwa would no more be the manager of the national team and his role will now be confined to just being the PHF secretary. “Asif Bajwa is an elected secretary, he will not be working as manager anymore,” Qasim said.

He said after the arrival of the team a meeting of the PHF Executive Board would be convened to take further action on the matter while a thorough inquiry would also be conducted into the debacle.

According to reports, Chief Selector Hasan Sardar had already made up his mind to quit his post and on Thursday announced his resignation minutes before Qasim disbanded the entire selection committee as well as the team management in New Delhi.

Those directly affected by the PHF move includes Coach Shahid Ali Khan, Assistant Coach Shafqat Malik, besides manager Bajwa. Among the selectors who were shown the door on Thursday are Rana Mujahid, Khalid Bashir, Farhat Khan and Mohammad Shafiq.

When asked why he was still holding office following the World Cup disaster, PHF President Qasim said his target was always the Asian Games 2010 and if the team fails to win that event, he may also quit Pakistan hockey.

“From day one I have been saying that my target is to win the Asian Games and if we failed to win that title, I may relinquish the job,” he said.

To a question he said though the seniors also failed to deliver, hockey was a team game everyone should feel responsible for the poor show. “The team has been giving good performances for the last one year and we were hoping some good results in the World Cup. But unfortunately, the team could not click in the mega event,” he said.

Denying media reports that the entire Pakistan team had also resigned, Qasim Zia said he had no such information. “I have no contact even with the PHF secretary in India after the defeat in the last match,” he said.

However, later a PHF press release confirmed the news that all the 18 players had also tendered the resignation. Sources said that the players took the decision to resign in unison because there was tremendous pressure on them to take full responsibility of the World Cup loss and they were finding it difficult to face the enraged fans back home.

Qasim further said the team had the potential to qualify for the semi-final but this result was unimaginable. “The way our team won the World Cup qualifiers in France and played the finals of the Champions Trophy qualifiers and also the Asia Cup, there were signs of improvement in the side. “Nobody was expecting this kind of performance in the World Cup,” he said dejectedly.

Meanwhile, chief selector Hasan Sardar, while talking to Dawn, said that he had advised the PHF president to dissolve the entire selection committee and the team management. “I had tendered my resignation to the president two days back with a request to accept it soon after the end of the World Cup. On Thursday I advised him to also dissolve the entire selection committee,” Hasan said.

However, chief selector was unhappy over the news coming from India that the players had also tendered their resignation enmasse. “I think they have taken this decision in sheer frustration and they should review it,” he said.

“The results are really bad and no one can defend this performance. But many players have still a lot of hockey left in them and they should not go to this extent,” he suggested.

“Captain of Pakistan team Zeeshan Ashraf said from New Delhi, India, that all the 18 players while taking responsibility for the team's poor show at the mega event had decided to retire from international hockey,” a PHF press release said.

“He said that the PHF have done a lot for the players in every field but the players could not deliver as per the expectations of the nation.

“We will support the PHF in the future in any aspect of the game and will also be available if Pakistan needs any player any time,” it further said.

The 18 players who announced their retirement are Nasir Ahmad, Salman Akbar (goalkeepers); Zeeshan Ashraf, Sohail Abbas, Mohammad Rashid (full-backs); Mohammad Irfan, Waseem Ahmad, Mohammad Imran, Fareed Ahmad, Sajjad Anwar (halves); Rehan Butt, Shakeel Abbasi, Abdul Haseem Khan, Mohammad Zubair, Akhtar Ali, Omer Bhutta, Abbas Haider and Mohammad Rizwan (forwards).

Pakistan earned the 12th position in the 12-team mega event. It could win only one match against Spain while losing to India, England, Australia and weak sides such as South Africa and Canada.

Meanwhile, former Olympian Naveed Alam advised Qasim to also resign following the defeats. “If all the decisions of the PHF have to be taken by Asif Bajwa or Rana Mujahid, then Qasim Zia should resign as PHF president and he should only continue with his political career,” he said.

The national team is to arrive here on Saturday.