Karachi, Oct 25 (PTI) The Pakistan junior hockey squad on Wednesday left for the Sultan Johor Cup international tournament in Malaysia without any support staff after head coach Hanif Khan had a dispute over selection of the team with the Pakistan Hockey Federation.

Hanif, an Olympic gold medal winner in hockey, did not leave with the team for the tournament beginning on October 27 as he was unhappy at the way the team was selected.

Coach Shakeel Abbasi also did not go with the team as he supported Hanif Khan’s contention that the PHF should not have made changes to the squad without consulting them.

“The PHF President Khalid Sajjad Khokar told me to take charge of the team and also select the squad with the selection committee. I told them we didn’t require to pick more than 18 players but they said the PHF President has approved 20 players for the tournament,” Hanif said.

“I accepted that but after the final squad was announced a 21st player and a third goalkeeper was added to the squad while two-three players were changed with the PHF saying it was because the selected players didn’t have required documents to go to Malaysia,” he added.

Hanif said he decided it was better not to go with the team as there was also talk that some foreign coach will join the side in Malaysia.

Pakistan hockey has reached one its worst periods in history with the team flopping badly in the recent Asian Games, failing to reach the semi-finals.

Apart from on-field performances, the politics and intrigues within the PHF seemed to have intensified as Haider Hussain was removed by the federation president before a congress meeting on Wednesday in Lahore.

Haider, however, claimed that he has not resigned or cannot be removed without the approval of the Congress.

“They have also not sent invitations for the meeting to my confirmed voters and supporters in the Congress,” he complained.

Source: PTI News