The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has appointed two-time World Cup winner Saeed Khan as the manager and head coach of the national men's hockey team for the International Hockey Federation (FIH) Pro League, which is scheduled for February 2 against Argentina.
Saeed Khan, who was appointed by the PHF President Brig Khalid Sajjad Khokhar (retired), was a member of Pakistan's World Cup winning team in 1978 and 1982. Previously, Saeed Khan has also served in other coaching assignments with the country's national team including in 1994, when the team won the World Cup and Champions Trophy. Saeed's last assignment was as the head coach of the women's hockey team for the Asian Games qualifiers in Thailand in January 2018.
In October 2017, it may be noted that Saeed Khan was accused of harassment and assault by a former goalkeeper for the women's national hockey team Syeda Sadia. However, Saeed Khan had rejected Sadia's allegations as "baseless."
After dismal performance of the Pakistan hockey team in World Cup event in India, former hockey players said that team management should take responsibility of team's dismal performance.
"Our team struck pathetic show which is evident from its winless run in the pool matches in the World Cup and it seemed a group of players who lacked finer points of the game," former Olympian Muhammad Saqlain, said.
Pakistan hockey team's poor show has written a dark chapter in history of country's hockey by not winning a single tie, first time in the hockey of the mega event, critics said.
They said hockey has progressed a lot in recent years and the European countries have established themselves as the top notch of the game by providing most modern coaching and training facilities to their respective sides.
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