ISLAMABAD, July 12: Former world champion Jansher Khan said on Monday that it would be difficult for Pakistan to retain their World Junior squash title in Islamabad next month.

"Our junior players are over-aged and do not stand much chance of doing well at the championship," Jansher told Dawn in a telephonic interview. "The Egyptians and the English players are really good and it would not be therefore right to pin hopes on our boys."

The World Junior Championship is being held from Aug 17 and the Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF) has already named its squad for the team and individual events. "Squash in Pakistan is dead and unless the officials of the national federation change their policies, we will not be able to win anything."

He urged the squash managers to stop focussing on the seniors for they were past their prime and the juniors who were now over- aged. "It is time for the Pakistan Squash Federation to concentrate on boys aged between seven and eight and groom them over a period of three or four years."

Jansher who in his heyday won virtually everything the game had to offer, pointed out that Pakistan today had no player among the top 20. "We need good coaches for tenures of say one year and if they do not produce results they should be shown the door."

Junior coach, Rehmat Khan, he said has been coaching for some years now but there has been no improvement. "With such being the state of affairs, I do not see any Pakistani player making the top 20 in the years to come."

Jansher called upon the PSF to seek guidance from former players like Jahangir Khan and he himself. "We have spent our best years in squash and we know what the game is all about."

He said that wherever there was squash activity, the PSF should involve former players. "I feel bad because having done so much for Pakistan, the federation has always ignored me."

He asked the PSF not to mind his press statements, which at times were "very harsh". "I keep pointing to the flaws that exist just because I sincerely want to see squash flourish in the country." Meanwhile, Jansher is due to leave for England later this month to play some league and exhibition matches in London before moving on to Munich for a series of promotions.