https://www.dawn.com/news/1983186

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FINALLY, there is some relief for Pakis­tan hockey fans, particularly for those who saw and felt the glory and pride of the past.

After a gap of eight years, Pakistan will be returning to the FIH men’s World Cup later this year.

The former four-time champions made the global event after reaching the final of the World Cup qualifier held earlier this month in Ismailia, Egypt.

Though the Ammad Butt-led Pakistan were outplayed by England in the final 4-1, the qualification for the decider gave the Green-shirts a dream ticket to the Aug 15-30 World Cup — which will be co-hosted by the Netherlands and Belgium — to showcase their skills and try earnestly to reach the summit by competing against the world’s best teams.

Now should a sincere Pakistan fan expect — or say fantasise — the national team to clinch the world title?

While looking at the unspeakably miserable state of affairs, both on and off the field, Pakistan hockey has gone through over the past three decades, only an extremely high level of optimism can urge one to do so.

Great Samiullah Khan, nicknamed Flying Horse, who was named chief selector last month by the ad-hoc regime of the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF), thinks otherwise.

“[Realistically] our purpose is not to go for victory at all in this year’s World Cup. I, as chief of the selection committee, have suggested to the PHF to participate in this World Cup and only improve our team’s [world] ranking [by trying to win some games],” Samiullah said in an exclusive interview to Dawn.

“[In lead-up to the World Cup], we will first look to reach the top ten rankings by defeating relatively lower-ranked teams like Malaysia, Japan, South Korea and China,” the 74-year-old added.

“Then in the World Cup, we will try to reduce the [loss] margins against major opponents like Holland, Belgium, Australia, Germany, England, Spain and India. The players [of the national team] for the World Cup will more or less remain the same with one or two changes possible.”

Answering a question regarding Pakistan’s poor show in the Ismailia qualifier final, two-time World Cup winner Samiullah spoke realistically.

“Pakistan’s world ranking during the past 15 years has remained quite low and currently it is 12th while England are fourth. Therefore, one should not be surprised at the result of the [Ismailia] final as there is a considerable difference between the rankings of both the teams which are decided on the performance of the past two years.

“[Therefore], I think the loss in Ismailia decider was not that bad when compared to our team’s poor show in the FIH Pro League [prior to the World Cup qualifier] in Australia where we lost all games [to tougher opponents] by bigger margins.”

Answering a question, Samiullah insisted that only world-class players could help a team win global titles.

“Only a team having six, seven world-class players can reach the top two, three spots in any international competition, as Pakistan had during the 1960s and 70s,” he said. “Pakistan is the pioneer in world hockey; we introduced the FIH World Cup, Champions Trophy and Asia Cup in the game all of which continue to this day.

“Unfortunately, compared to today’s standards in the world our players are lagging behind.”

Commercialisation crucial

Replying to a question on how commercialisation can lift Pakistan hockey, the legendary player said that the team’s ranking and government’s patronisation were the key elements.

“Every professional field, including sports, has been commercialised completely in the present era,” Samiullah noted. “Top eight hockey-playing countries like Australia, Germany, Holland, England, Spain and India organise their own leagues from which they earn and get lucrative sponsorship deals; in this way these countries are fast moving towards professionalisation. A team’s ranking among world’s top eight is vital in this regard which swiftly attracts sponsors,” he added.

“Then the income generated through these leagues and sponsorship is spent on paying the players who are the prime element of the entire system.

“The examples of Belgium [presently second ranked] and France [10th], who were pushovers in world hockey in the past, are very suitable here. Both these countries overhauled their systems in recent years to become significant powers in world hockey.

He continued: “The [incumbent] PHF has announced a financial committee in order to bring in finance from the commercial sector for improving our hockey professionally in long-term.

“The government in this regard will need to play its due role actively in taking special care of players in Pakistan. Giving talented players lucrative permanent jobs and giving them release to feature in [foreign] leagues will need to be managed efficiently by the government.”

Totally independent

On whether he had been given full freedom to select the national team, and what his development plans are for the World Cup which is just four, five months away, Samiullah sounded clear.

“I have been made [temporary] chairman of the selection committee. The individuals [Islahuddin Siddiqui, Hasan Sardar and myself] who have been brought in by the PHF are totally independent,” he stated.

He continued, “Whereas those who during the past 15 years remained in the PHF, including the so-called elected ones and those who maneuvered [to gain authority in the federation] they significantly ruined Pakistan hockey; they had no planning whatsoever for developing the national game.”

The poor functioning of the past federations, Samiullah insisted, damaged the players considerably.

“Due to the federation’s pathetic management, many of our players left the country to play league hockey in Eur­o­pe from where they did not return [to Pakistan],” he lamented.

“[Currently], three of our players are in Poland while a member of the current team [who was ignored during the past year] is somewhere in the United Kingdom. Moreover, a drag flicker [penalty corner specialist] is also abroad,” he said while adding that a full-time national selection committee comprising four, five members would be named after the Eid-ul-Fitr holidays.

“PHF president Mohyuddin Ahmad Wani, [former captains] Islahuddin and Hasan will take a decision on the formation of the selection committee on my recommendations. After this team selection will be made till the World Cup,” Samiullah further said.

Foreign trainer, analyst to be sought

Responding to a question on the demands of the sport that has evolved considerably, former skipper Samiullah plainly acknowledged that Pakistan players of the present era lacked top-level fitness.

“Our players’ physical fitness level, which I have observed during the past few years, in no way meets the international criterion,” he said.

“The change in rules of field hockey, including four 15-minute quarters in place of two halves of 35 minutes, have enhanced the importance of individual skills; now a smart play of even five minutes can contribute towards the team’s target. However, our players’ fitness level and rolling substitute [management] do not meet the standard of the higher-ranked teams,” Samiullah mentioned.

“To address this matter, we suggest that a physical trainer and a video analyst be hired from a foreign country who could train and prepare our players according to the international standard and modern demands of the game,” he emphasised.

“Our players need to be prepared mentally too through modern training on professional lines. Moreover, consistent gymnasium workout is vital to develop strength and fitness level.”

He added, “All this will take time, nothing significant can be achieved in the [forthcoming World Cup]. However, when the PHF starts working on enhancing players’ physical and mental fitness, its results will show in around two years.”

The pool of the players, which is presently around 30-35 from which national players selected, needs to be expanded, Samiullah maintained.

“In this regard, preparing and selecting our U-19 team is crucial. Talented members of this team can be made part of the senior team through a proper plan within one to one-and-a-half years. To achieve all this, the government’s role is paramount which will need to attract young aspirants towards hockey and create jobs for promising youngsters,” the iconic player signed off.

Published in Dawn, March 24th, 2026

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LONDON: As Pep Guardiola wiped away the sting of the Champagne sprayed by his jubilant players after Sunday’s League Cup final triumph against Arsenal, the Manch­ester City boss was confronted with a burning question.

Nico O’Reilly’s second-half double had just sealed a 2-0 win in the Wembley showpiece, handing City a psychological boost at the expense of their Premier League title rivals.

But will Guardiola’s record fifth League Cup serve as a catalyst to catch Arsenal in the title race?

The City boss, who hadn’t masterminded a victory over his old assistant Mikel Arteta since 2023, knows beating Arsenal in a one-off showpiece occasion is difficult enough.

Finding a way to overhaul Premier League leaders Arsenal, who hold a nine-point advantage over second-placed City, is an even more daunting proposition.

“I would like to have nine points in front of Arsenal,” Guardiola said. “I said to the players: ‘Today, we are going to see what our level is’.

They are the best so far, no doubt about that, so let’s prove ourselves and in the second half, I could not believe we could do it against Arsenal.

“But this win will have no impact (on the title race). It is a different competition.”

City have a game in hand on Arsenal and host the Gunners at the Etihad Stadium in April.

Yet Guardiola acknowledged even winning those two matc­hes won’t be enough for City unless Arsenal slip up elsewhere.

“They will be more controlled when they come to the Etihad. Maybe for that game it will help us, but the Premier League is in their hands,” he said.

“Is that team going to drop points? We will try to win our games and then see what happens.”

After recent damaging draws in the league against lowly West Ham United and Nottingham Forest, as well as a limp Champi­ons League last-16 exit against Real Madrid, City badly needed a trophy to lift the mood at the Etihad.

They went without silverware last term, but Guardiola believes this can be the start of a new era for a club with 19 trophies in all competitions since he arrived a decade ago.

“When you start to win and the generation is young you can continue that. I need to know how they behave in certain moments,” Guardiola said of a team expensively revamped in the last 18 months.

“I can smell something that can flourish. Winning helps to anticipate the process.

“We are much better than last season but still we are not the team we should be. That requires time. Hopefully by the end of next season we will be.”

‘Fire in the belly’

Arsenal went into the final as firm favourites as they chased a first trophy in six years.

But they departed still waiting for the second major prize of the Arteta era, assailed with questions about their manager’s selections and tactics, as well as a recurring habit of choking on the big stage.

Runners-up in the Premier League for the last three seasons, Arsenal cannot afford to let the Wembley defeat impact the rest of their treble-chasing campaign.

Arteta’s decision to pick Kepa Arrizabalaga instead of regular goalkeeper David Raya backfired when the understudy fumbled Rayan Cherki’s cross as O’Reilly bagged City’s first goal.

Arteta’s conversative game-plan also came under fire, but the Arsenal boss vowed his team would use the pain as fuel to win the Premier League for the first time since 2004.

“We need to have some perspective on it. We are going to use this disappointment and this fire in the belly to have the most amazing two months that we have ever had together,” said Arteta, whose side are in the Champions League and FA Cup quarter-finals.

“That’s on us and we’ll manage that energy in the right way. Now we have to go through that pain and disappointment.

“The good thing is that we have a very recent history with reacting in these moments, and I’m sure that we’re going to do it again.”

Published in Dawn, March 24th, 2026

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