KARACHI, April 7 Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) Secretary Asif Bajwa has said that the federation will do all in its power to find the best foreign coach for the national team in order for it to compete with the field hockey giants of the world on equal footing.

In an exclusive interview with Dawn at the Hockey Club of Pakistan on Wednesday, Bajwa said that a good foreign coach was the need of the hour for the Pakistan team. “We are in contact with several top coaches of international repute including some from Germany, Australia and the Netherlands. Although they have serious reservations about the security situation here, we are doing our best in trying to convince them to come here,” said the Olympian.

“I may even have to travel to Europe for the purpose,” he added. “Nevertheless, if we fail in achieving the goal, there is always Plan B,” he said.

Plan B, according to the PHF secretary, is finding someone suitable for the time being from within Pakistan. “We have already committed to play in the forthcoming Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Malaysia, a preparation camp for which will commence in Karachi from April 21. A decision about the team coach will have to be made before that but if we can't get a foreign coach by that time, we will consider the services of one of our Olympians,” he said.

When asked whether the Olympians currently in opposition of the PHF would be considered for the post, Bajwa said “It doesn't matter on which side they are. We only want the best for the national team. So whoever has a goal and a proper plan for achieving that target will be the man for the job. He will be given complete authority with no conditions attached. In other words, a freehand will be given to him to carry about his business,” he pointed out.

Commenting on the vociferous campaign against him put together by the Olympians, Bajwa said “Well, I am in Karachi until Friday and I will be glad to sit with them in order to resolve their differences. I am also interested in knowing what I have done wrong to prompt this kind of a reaction from them.”

“I particularly hold Samiullah, Shahnaz Sheikh, Shahbaz Ahmed Senior and Islah Bhai in very high regard. They are great role models. I don't believe in one-line agendas but I am all ears if they have any positive proposals for bringing improvement to the game.”

A large number of Olympians have been demanding of the PHF President Qasim Zia to sack Bajwa from the position of the PHF secretary since last month's Hockey World Cup where Pakistan finished 12th among as many competing teams in a worse-ever show at the international level.

About his president's trust in him, Bajwa said “It has much to do with convictions. Strong people don't go about changing their opinions about people over one or two things. The World Cup debacle was very unfortunate, but we have taken it in our stride and vowed to rise from the ashes again.”

He went on to add “Our whole focus is on development and we have made plenty of headway in that department if you take into account the performance of our juniors who took the Junior Asia Cup and the South Asian Games title recently.

“The national team also played the Asia Cup final, which they unfortunately lost to Korea by one goal last year.

“We will also feature in our first indoor hockey tournament in Malaysia this year. Soon we will set up a goalkeeping academy where I hope to utilise Shahid Ali Khan's services, too. We have organised workshops for coaches, started hockey academies all over the country to nurture talent at the grassroots level and we have only been working on all of this for a little over a year.”

Bajwa also mentioned that the PHF will be holding its first inter-academy hockey championship in May. “And the concept will also be implemented at all age levels. We also intend holding an under-16 tournament on the lines of the under-18 super league that unearthed so much talent from all across the country.”

Bajwa, when confronted about meddling with the scrutiny of the district and regional clubs ahead of the PHF elections last year, said “Well, I was with the national team featuring in the Champions Challenge-I championship in Salta, Argentina, then.”

When reminded about the Olympians' main grievance about his defensive strategy in the World Cup, which allegedly caused Pakistan to lose almost all their matches, Bajwa said “First of all I was the team manager and not its coach to be improvising the strategies.

“As far as playing strategy is concerned, strategies are all part of the game plan where you are expected to keep changing your strategy, be it defensive or offensive, depending on how you read your opponents.”

And what about his own report on what went wrong at the mega event? “The manager or coach's report is a classified document not meant to be released for the general public,” came the stern reply from Bajwa.

Commenting on another thorny issue raised by the Oympians regarding the PHF secretary's role in the Executive Board, Bajwa said “They [the Olympians] should really not be commenting on something they don't know. I will suggest to them to kindly go through the PHF Constitution first and then speak.”