EX-CAPTAINS CALL FOR BAJWA"S SACKING OVER DEBACLE!!!
KARACHI: Asif Bajwa was on Tuesday singled out as the man responsible for Pakistan"s disastrous campaign in the ongoing Hockey World Cup.
Former Pakistan captains lambasted Bajwa, the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) secretary who also wore the hat of national team manager, saying the former Olympian should resign over the debacle in New Delhi.
Islahuddin Siddiqui, the former Pakistan captain, criticised Bajwa for running a "one-man show" and asked him to resign both as team manager and PHF secretary in the aftermath of Pakistan"s poor showing in the World Cup.
"Our team has flopped miserably in the World Cup and I believe that the main culprit for the debacle is Asif Bajwa," Islah told "The News" in an interview. "He has been running a one-man show in the PHF for the last two years. Even TV commentators at the World Cup have been talking about the roles he"s been playing as PHF secretary, team manager and at times our chief coach. And now that our team has given its worst performance in history I believe its time that he takes responsibility and resigns from all those positions," stressed Islah.
Islah said that if Bajwa refuses to quit then the PHF president Qasim Zia should sack him.
"Personally, I think he should resign but if for some reason he decides against it then the PHF president should sack him," said Islah. "Pakistan hockey has suffered a huge blow in New Delhi and if he (Qasim) wants to save it from total destruction he should remove Bajwa and form a better team to run the PHF."
Pakistan lost four of their five Pool B matches in the World Cup to finish last in their group. They will now have to suffer the ignominy of playing against minnows Canada for the 11th position in the 12-nation spectacle.
Islah said that Qasim Zia gave Bajwa a free hand but the PHF secretary has failed to deliver. "Qasim has done his job by brining in the funds but Bajwa has failed miserably."
He underlined the fact that Bajwa has been serving as the PHF secretary even before the 2008 Olympic Games but still failed to raise a strong team for the World Cup.
Islah urged President Asif Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani to look into the national hockey affairs and help save the game.
"Its time that a thorough inquiry is conducted to find the reasons behind our poor performance," he said.
"We have a major event like the Asian Games and need to move forward by taking some bold steps."
He believes that one bold step would be to conduct a "major surgery" in the national team.
"Our team needs a major surgery because it"s apparent that it is not good enough for major events like the World Cup."
Muhammad Saqlain, another former captain, echoed Islah"s comments and said that Bajwa and company are trying to shift the blame on the players.
"The team management and not players is responsible for failure in World Cup," said Saqlain. "The PHF president should take appropriate steps otherwise our national game will become part of history."
