LAHORE: For violating his contract twice, the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has decided to get rid of its Dutch national team coach Michel van den Heuvel.The final decision in this regard will be taken in the Executive Board meeting, which will be held on Thursday (March 15), Dawn learnt on Friday.
Michel was given the task to coach the side till the London Olympics, which will be held from July 27 to Aug 12, but the PHF does not look ready to continue with him for two violations of the contract.
“The PHF had asked Michel to reach here by Feb 29 to start preparations of the national team for the Olympics, but instead of joining the camp from its first phase, which will conclude on March 15, Michel asked the PHF that he will join it from March 25,” sources said while explaining the first violation of the contract.
“Moreover, it has come into the notice of the PHF that Michel has signed a contract with a Dutch club and he will start coaching its team after the Olympics.
“As one of the clauses of the contract restricts him from signing a contract with anyone as the PHF wants to review his performance after the Olympics to decide if he would be given extension.
“But by signing the contract with the club, Michel has violated the contract,” the sources said.
The sources further said the PHF believed that by signing the contract with the Dutch club, Michel may not coach Pakistan team with spirit at the Olympics.
They further disclosed that the PHF was not happy with the performance of Michel during the Champions Trophy, in which Pakistan finished seventh among eight teams, but it did not expel him to respect the contract.
Now Michel himself had made the job of the PHF easy to get rid of him.
The PHF is likely to hand over coaching responsibility to Khawaja Junaid, who has been working as manager and dealing with the affairs of the national team for the last two years.
The second option before the PHF is to hire the services of a senior Olympian.
Akhtar Rasool, Hasan Sardar or Khawaja Zakauddin may be asked by the PHF to replace Michel.
Meanwhile, the national team defeated national junior team 5-0 in a practice match at the National Hockey Stadium. The junior team is preparing for the Asia Cup while the seniors for the Olympics.
