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Shakeel said while he was never taken into confidence before being axed, PHF had asked Rehan and Sohail to request for “rest” before the Azlan Shah Cup.
“I am shocked on my axing as I didn't have any clue about it. The PHF had asked Sohail and Rehan not to join the camp. At least Rehan and Sohail had knowledge that they were not wanted in the camp. But my case is unique as I was never given a slight indication that I would be axed. Had I been hinted about it, I would have never come to the camp. This is disgusting and humiliating,” Shakeel told Dawn.com after the announcement of the squad.
The PHF secretary Asif Bajwa had earlier claimed that Pakistan captain Zeeshan Ashraf, Waseem Ahmad and Akhtar Ali had requested him that they wanted to skip the Azlan Shah Cup because of fatigue.
However, sources told Dawn.com that three players along with Rehan Butt and Sohail Abbas were asked by Asif to take rest, suggesting they should make a request to the PHF that they were interested in playing only at major events.
But as Waseem, Zeeshan and Akhtar opted to take the “rest”, Sohail and Rehan joined the Azlan Shah Cup training camp. In fact, even Rehan was reluctant to join the camp after being instructed by Asif, but later changed his mind when Sohail took a firm decision and reported for training against the wishes of the PHF secretary.
Sources said that Asif was apprehensive, knowing that some senior players including Waseem, Zeeshan and Akhtar might be dropped, when the selection committee announces the squad for Azlan Shah Cup, he decided to ask the seniors to request for “rest.”
The players were asked by the PHF to skip the camp as top national players would have created a storm against Asif on being axed for Azlan Shah Cup. Asif is already beleaguered after a campaign by Olympians who are demanding the sports authorities to remove the PHF secretary after Pakistan's 12th place finish at World Cup.
Shakeel said if the PHF had axing of the senior players on its mind, then they should not have been called up for the training camp.
“If PHF didn't want me, then why was I invited for the camp. It is insulting. I don't want any rest and I am fully fit. I can prove my fitness any time. If PHF doesn't want me then I have offers from others who want me. I know my worth and I know about my skills. I will play league hockey abroad if Pakistan hockey doesn't want me,” he said.
Rehan, however, contradicted Shakeel's claim that he was contacted by PHF and told that he and Sohail were not wanted and should not join the Azlan Shah Cup training camp.
“Shakeel has his own point of view. But as Waseem (Ahmad), Zeeshan (Ashraf) and Akhtar (Ali) decided against playing because of fatigue, Sohail and I also discussed this. But later we changed our minds and joined the camp,” Rehan told Dawn.com.
The former Pakistan captain, however, “complained” that PHF should have told him in clear terms if he was not wanted for the Pakistan team.
“It's a valid point and I agree that PHF should not have invited the senior players if it wanted to discard them. But such things are happening in Pakistan hockey from the 1970s. It's nothing new,” he said.
Rehan said since selectors had “rested” the senior players, he hoped he would be recalled since there were important events ahead.
“Although I wish the young Pakistan team all the best, I feel the present outfit cannot deliver at bigger events. We have Commonwealth Games, Asian Games, Olympic qualifiers and then 2012 Olympics for which Pakistan needs the senior players. And I think I can play for another two and half years. Considering the words and tone of the selectors, I am confident that seniors will be recalled,” he said.
However, the discarded right-out said PHF should give a clear picture if it really wanted to have the senior players back.
“I believe PHF must tell us (senior players) that we should quit playing or not so that we can decide about our future and direction. At the moment, we don't know whether we should go right or left,” he said.
