Systemize Pakistan hockey to regain lost glory: Rana Naeem

LAHORE - Rana Naeem, a Pakistani-born coach of Belgium 1st Hockey League’s top club Gantoas, has said that it is impossible to regain lost hockey glory unless the government and private sector financially support the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF). In a message, he said that hockey academies should be set up at the provincial level in which players should be educated under a system and syllabus and there should be no change in the system despite change in the PHF command. “The first priority of the national team coaches should be to make a place in the world top 10 and then top 5. There is also dire need to hunt talented, obedient and hardworking players at the grassroots level and then provide them the best facilities so that they may excel at higher level and start winning laurels for Pakistan once again.” Rana Naeem said that one cannot live long with the help of hockey’s glorious past, rather one should adapt to modern drills and technology. He also appealed to the officials of District Hockey Associations to set up Rana Zaheer Hockey Academy style hockey academies, which should work like nurseries for Pakistan hockey and provide the national team budding players, who may win international glories for the country.”