Doha: Pakistan’s experienced campaigner Shakeel Abassi has voiced concerns that the physical and mental demands of the FIH calendar are too much to handle and that there should be a serious rethink over it.
Abassi, who along with team-mate Waseem Ahmed are the most experienced players in the Pakistan squad having played around 600 games, said the schedule is too demanding for players.
“How can you make someone play so many matches in a single month and expect to get good results. How can any team play back-to-back tournaments within a month. Champions Trophy is one of the toughest tournament of the World and then you are coming directly to play the Asian Champions Trophy. It is not at all good for the players. See, people back home expect us to give our best and if the scheduling is not right it won’t be possible for us to give a consistent performance. Someone has to out some thought behind it,” said Abassi, who won the player of the tournament award at the Champions Trophy in Australia.
Pakistan defeated India to win the third place in the same tournament.
Abassi said the constant revision of rules has taken a toll on the Asian style of hockey
“All the rules are against Asian Hockey. Skill wise we are still the number one, but the rules do not aid our style of play. I mean, no offside rule, body dogging which have been stopped and body play has come into existence. As a result, European style of play is dominating over Asian hockey.
The ace player says Asians cannot gain mastery over the European style of play, but the plan should be to stick to ‘our roots’.
“We will have to work on European strategies but play our style of (Asian) hockey. My personal view is we cannot learn European hockey completely, but will have to adapt, because it has become a necessity in today’s hockey. I will say we will cannot forget our roots – Asian Hockey.”
The 28-year-old said it is high time Asian Hockey Federation officials take up issues concerning the continent.
“The problem with Asian teams is that we don’t have a strong bond. If we have our representative there in FIH they should talk about things that should suit out style of play. If any rule is implemented by the FIH our Asian countries accept it meekly. If we feel some rules are not suiting us I think, we should make sure our voice is heard internationally. And if you ask who should take the lead role? Then it has to be India and Pakistan. They have to sit together and decide,” suggested Abassi.
The centre forward who made his international debut for Pakistan in 2003 said Hockey India League (HIL) is the best thing which has happened for hockey.
“The HIL that has started is the best thing which will help us to regain the lost glory. We will get the exposure to play against international players and interest in the game will increase.”
Abbasi who was the part of the Pakistan team which finished seventh at the 2012 London Olympics advocated a strong need for a Indo-Pakistan series.
“India and Pakistan Test series is a must. These matches (India-Pakistan) are always pressure matches and young boys gets nurtured quickly after playing in such high intensity matches. Home and away matches between India and Pakistan would have done wonders. If an Indian player comes to Pakistan and performs his confidence would be sky high. And the same goes for Pakistan players as well. Today’s hockey is all about soaking the pressure and the players who manage to survive the tough test will definitely very good player,” said Abassi.
Having won the bronze medal in Australia, Abassi said the team is determined to win the title in Qatar.
“As a professional player we have come here with a mission to win the title.” The peninsula
