Collective Efforts Led Us To Victory, PIA Manager

LAHORE, Jan 4 (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 04th Jan, 2017 ) :- Manager of the victorious PIA hockey team, former Pakistan hockey captain, Shahid Ali Khan has attributed team's success and performing a hat trick of retaining the title to collective team efforts.

"Our team performed up to the expectations throughout the tournament and coordination among the players and their experience led us to a hat trick of retaining the title," he told APP after his team beat National Bank of Pakistan in a penalty shoot out here.

"In fact experience prevailed over youth as PIA having players of ten years experience of playing the national championship outshone youthful NBP which has the services of at least ten Pakistan junior players in the final," he said.

Shahid a former goalkeeper gave full marked to his team's goalkeeper Imran Butt who stood firm under the bar throughout the event including the final. He requested the PIA authorities to infuse fresh blood in the team for its rebuilding keeping an eye on its future assignments.

"Making hat trick of title was not an easy task but the sheer hard work on part of players and their experience were the main factors behind our success," he said. Shahid said it is imperative to re-organize the game on modern lines in the country in order to regain lost glory.

"PHF needs to work at grassroots level to engage the youth to hockey and there is dire need to widen the pool of junior players to have ample choice for selection of national junior teams," he said.

He said international hockey has become fast paced which needs fresh legs and undying stamina to counter the strong challenge of European sides. "PHF is working in right direction to form its junior team by imparting it international experience through foreign trips and with young players making their mark in the senior side that day is not far when we will once again rise in international hockey," said the former olympian.