News for 05 January 2017
All the news for Thursday 5 January 2017
PIA defend National Hockey C’ship
Azhar Khan
LAHORE - Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) successfully defended their title after defeating National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) in the 63rd Zaitoon National Hockey Championship final played here at the National Hockey Stadium on Wednesday.
PIA were in great spirits and eager to dominate the final right from the start. They made a couple of good inroads and forced two penalty corners in succession, but NBP goalkeeper Mazhar Abbas made a good save with stretched leg. Thereafter, the bankers showed their potential and launched an attack to PIA goal, but they couldn’t succeed in converting a goal.
The second half saw NBP players playing with authority and kept on putting pressure on the airliners. Off their second penalty corner in the 36th minute, Abu Bakr's forceful directed push was brilliantly saved by PIA goalkeeper Imran Butt. Some rash play was also witnessed, as PIA's Shafqat Rasool in the 37th minute and NBP's Atiq in the dying minutes of the final were shown yellow cards. The bankers though got golden opportunity in the last quarter, when they could strike the match-winner but Imran Butt once again made his presence felt and saved two wonderful off field attempts.
Despite both the finalists displaying outstanding stick work in the final, which was delayed by an hour due to traffic jam, it ended in a goalless draw and was then decided on penalty shootouts. PIA held on to their nerves and carved out sensational title victory as they converted four as against NBP’s three.
The airliners started the shootout session well, converting the first two successfully but the bankers failed in finding the target. NBP then netted the remaining three neatly but PIA wasted the fourth one, making it 3-3. In the nail-biting last shootout, Kashif Ali stepped in and pumped in powerful strike to help PIA squad celebrate their tremendous title triumph. It was PIA’s third title in a row, thus completing their hat-trick of title victories.
Earlier in the third position match, Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) defeated Wapda 1-0 to finish third. Both the teams didn’t play quality hockey in the first quarter while Wapda players then started playing aggressively in the second quarter, and made frequent incursions into the circle but were twice denied by SSGC goalkeeper Amjad Ali. SSGC's Adeel got an excellent chance to score a goal but failed. The SSGC dominated the dying moments of the match and hammered a match-winner in the 53rd minute through Rana Sohail.
In the end, Punjab's Minister of Sports Jahangir Khanzada gave away winning trophy to PIA skipper M Irfan while Provincial Minister for Mines and Minerals Nawabzada Ch Sher Ali handed over the runners-up trophy to NBP’s captain Tauseeq. Hat-trick man Sharjeel of Police was declared the best emerging player. Also present on the occasion were PHF secretary Shahbaz Senior, PHF Director Development Naveed Alam, former Olympian Manzoor Junior, Col (R) Asif Dar, current and former Olympians and players and a great number of hockey lovers.
Talking to this scribe, former Olympian Manzoor Junior, who captained the 1984 Olympics gold medal winning Pakistan team, felicitated the PIA team and also the runners-up but also pointed out the shortcomings, he felt while watching the final. “I couldn’t see hockey class during the final, as lack of fitness was also evident, due to which the finalists couldn’t provide exceptional finishing, which once one can witness in 70s and 80s nationals. The players have to work a lot to not only improve their fitness but also have to focus on short passes, dribbling and better hockey style, which could help them succeed not only at national level but also at the international stage.”
Lauding the plan of current PHF setup, Manzoor said: “If the current PHF setup succeeds in implementing, what they have planned, Pakistan hockey can be on right track and start producing good results nationally and internationally.”
Manzoor, known as golden player, has also appreciated the 2020 vision Punjab CM Shahbaz Sharif which is being followed and carried out by steering committee sports Punjab chairman Hanif Abbas and SBP Director General Zulfiqar Ghumman, and said: “The 2020 Punjab CM vision is very impressive and productive, and if it is carried out under the supervision of sports technocrats, very fruitful results can be gained and Pakistan sports will not only flourish, but also start touching new heights.”
The Nation
PIA clinch National Hockey Championship
Photo Courtesy: PHF
KARACHI: PIA successfully defended their National Hockey Championship crown on Wednesday when they defeated NBP 4-3 on penalties at the National Hockey Stadium in Lahore.
PIA dominated the proceedings in the first half and tested the NBP defence many times, which included two penalty corners in the opening minutes of the match; but were unable to find the back of the net.
NBP, meanwhile, were the dominant side in the second half but just like PIA in the first-half, could not break the deadlock.
After the match ended goalless in normal time, PIA edged out NBP on penalties after the bankers missed their first two penalties to hand the advantage to the airliners.
PIA’s Shafqat Rasool missed his and his team’s fourth penalty as the scoreline read 3-3 after NBP had scored their last three spot-kicks. PIA’s Kashif Ali then stepped up and coolly slotted the ball in the back of the net to guide his side to the crown.
Meanwhile in the third-place match, SSGC edged out WAPDA 1-0 as Rana Sohail scored the winning goal in the 53rd minute of the game.
PIA captain Muhammad Irfan received the winners’ trophy from Punjab’s Minister of Sports, Jahangir Khanzada.
Provincial Minister for Mines and Minerals Nawabzada Chaudhry Sher Ali handed over the runner-up trophy to NBP skipper Tousiq Arshad, while Police’s brilliant forward Sharjeel, who had three hat-tricks in the tournament, was declared as the best emerging player.
The Express Tribune
PIA down NBP in final to complete hat-trick of titles
LAHORE: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) successfully defended their National Hockey Championship crown on Wednesday when they defeated National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) 4-3 on penalties in the final at the National Hockey Stadium here Wednesday. PIA won the title for the third consecutive time thus completing their hat trick. In a classification match for third position, Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) edged out Pakistan WAPDA 1-0 when Rana Sohail scored the winning goal in the 53rd minute of the game. PIA captain Muhammad Irfan received the winners’ trophy from Punjab’s Minister of Sports Jahangir Khanzada. Provincial Minister for Mines and Minerals Nawabzada Chaudhry Sher Ali handed over the runners-up trophy to NBP skipper Tousiq Arshad, while Police’s brilliant forward Mohammad Sharjeel, who had three hat-tricks in the tournament, was declared as the best emerging player.
PIA dominated the proceedings in the first half and tested the NBP defence many times, which included two penalty corners in the opening minutes of the match; but were unable to find the back of the net. NBP, meanwhile, were the dominant side in the second half but just like PIA in the first-half, could not break the deadlock. After the match ended goalless in normal time, PIA edged out NBP on penalties after the bankers missed their first two penalties to hand the advantage to the airliners. PIA’s Shafqat Rasool missed his and his team’s fourth penalty as the scoreline read 3-3 after NBP had scored their last three spot-kicks. PIA’s Kashif Ali then stepped up and coolly slotted the ball in the back of the net to guide his side to the crown.
In the third place game, it was mostly a lackluster display in the first 15 minutes from both the sides; perhaps due to the disappointment of the failure to qualify for the final. In the second quarter, the experienced WAPDA side brightened the things first. They made frequent incursions into the circle but were twice denied by Amjad Ali, the Sui Southern Gas Company’s custodian. SSGC’s Adeel Ahmed also had an excellent opportunity but he pushed out, standing in an ideal position. Both the side had long periods of ascendancy in the third quarter. WAPDA had three PCs but Amjad, SSGC’s hero of the day, was impenetrable. SSGC’s speedy forwards made some good individual bursts into the opposition’s scoring zone but didn’t test the goalkeeper. The young SSGC were definitely the better team in the last 15 minutes. Though, WAPDA had a PC and a wonderful open play chance (again blocked by Amjad), a goal from the SSGC looked more likely to come. And it did arrive in the 53rd minute. The WAPDA goalkeeper padded away a good cross from the right. But Rana Sohail sprinted to put the rebound in the net. Hence, SSGC equalled their best finish in the National Championship; had also finished third twice in the past.
The Daily Times
Dabanch back in Spain with Junior FC
EHL winner and Spanish international Gabriel Dabanch is set to return to Europe for the second half of the season as he links up with Junior FC.
He will be back in situ at Sant Cugat del Vallés for the second leg of the 2016-2017 season, making his debut in February when the men’s Honor Division returns to action.
Junior currently sit in fourth place in Spain at Christmas on 17 points, sitting behind Real Club de Polo (25), Atletic Terrassa (22) and Club Egara (20).
Dabanch has played 96 international, scoring 27 goals, and is fifth on the all-time EHL goalscorers list with 23 goals. His crowning moment came with Oranje Zwart when he won the EHL title in 2015 while he also once scored seven times for Royal Leopold in one game against SG Amsicora.
He previously won the Honor Division in Spain with Polo in 2008 and he has previously played in the competition with UD Taburiente and RS Tenis before spells with Royal Antwerp, OZ and Leo before spending the last part of his life in Australia.
Euro Hockey League media release
Four German players retire from international stage
New German coach Stefan Kermas has confirmed that UHC Hamburg’s Oliver Korn and Mannheimer’s Florian Woesch along with Crefelder duo Linus Butt and Oskar Deecke have all retired from international hockey.
Korn was part of both the 2008 and 2012 German Olympic winning sides and was one of their three reserves in Rio last August when Germany took bronze.
Deecke was a 2012 Olympian and also was a Rio reserve while Linus Butt was one of the key defenders in the bronze winning side.
Moritz Fuerste had already announced his retirement but Kermas has, however, retained the services of top performers Tobias Hauke, Martin Häner and Christopher Wesley.
The experienced trio had asked for a break in the first half of 2017 for professional reasons but can then return to the squad. Christopher Zeller, who missed the Olympics in Rio, could also continue.
"Change always means a huge chance for new players," said Kermas, who will work closely with Under-21 coach Valentin Altenburg.
"I want to know which top talents we have in the pipeline. We want to see an enlarged circle of players so the transition will be fluent along with the game philosophies."
30 players have been invited to the first performance diagnosis from January 16 to 18 in Frankfurt. At the end of February, Germany will travel to Cape Town, South Africa as they build-up toward the World League semi-final in South Africa in July when World Cup tickets will be up for grabs.
Euro Hockey League media release
Vanasch, Van Doren and Stockbroekx get late HIL call
Belgian trio Vincent Vanasch, Arthur Van Doren and Manu Stockbroekx have all received a lucrative post-Christmas bonus with all being called up to the Hockey India League.
They are all late call-ups to replace injured players for the fifth edition of the competition. Vanasch will mind the net for the Delhi Waveriders who won the title in 2014.
Dragons’ defender Van Doren will wear the colours of the Uttar Pradesh Wizards while Stockbroekx, playing this year with Bloemendaal will line out for Dabang Mumbai.
It means Dragons and WatDucks will have to do without their players for the first round back of the Belgian league which takes place on Sunday, February 19 and, potentially, a second game with the final set to be played on February 26.
They follow in the footsteps of Racing Club de Bruxelles’ Tom Boon who was the Belgian player to previously play in the HIL in 2015.
Euro Hockey League media release
After beating the best, time to join them
India beat top teams to become junior hockey world champs; but to regain lost glory, they need to learn from modern masters
Indervir Grewal
Despite the unmatched pressure of being home favourites in India, the level of mental strength shown by the juniors to win the World Cup was mainly what set them apart from their senior counterparts. File
Chandigarh: The junior national team has created the biggest buzz in Indian hockey in over a decade. Though the men’s and women’s teams have also achieved major feats in the last couple of years, the junior World Cup win, or rather the youngsters’ performance, has filled hockey fans with hope for a better future.
Despite the unmatched pressure of being home favourites in India, the level of mental strength shown by these youngsters was mainly what set them apart from their senior counterparts.
This greater level of confidence comes from a better understanding of the modern game and a better skill level. The game has become faster and more complex, and a big need of the day is for players to be allrounders. Having players who can shift positions gives the team variation and flexibility; but it requires the ability to both attack and defend. A crucial part of it is the need for forwards to defend, because without a strong first line of defence, no team can succeed nowadays.
In Lucknow, India were fast, fluid and had a solid defence; and a proactive and smart first line of defence resulted in India being the most potent counterattacking side at the World Cup.
Rising India
In every aspect of the game, the senior team has also improved a lot since India seriously adopted the modern, more structured, system about five years ago. However, the foreign coaches found it hard to bring changes with the senior players, who were already set in their ways. So the national pool was widened by incorporating youngsters, such as Manpreet Singh, into the system.
But the attention towards the junior team was still minimal, which resulted in a rough transition to the senior squad. Former India coaches Michael Nobbs and Terry Walsh had continuously complained about Indian players’ tendency to make certain basic mistakes.
But after the debacle of the 2013 junior World Cup, Hockey India’s attitude changed. Roelant Oltmans, high performance director then, started overseeing the junior program as well. The junior team got a physical trainer last year. Getting into the system at a younger age has made the difference for these players.
Widening gap
However, it would be wrong to believe that this win is the beginning of India’s climb back to the top; because unlike top nations such as Germany, Australia and now Belgium, India’s progress is shallow and therefore their success is temporary and flimsy.
There is a disconnect between what is being taught to the national campers and the rest of India; and the gap between the national team level and the domestic level is widening.
India’s success is overdependent on foreigners but only 80-odd players are getting the benefit of these top coaches. The sub-junior level is the most crucial stage for development but children in academies across India are still being taught obsolete skills, like stopping the ball instead of receiving on the go, and old tactics, like playing in set positions. While the world has adapted to the game’s increasing pace, India is still stuck in the grass era — training is done at a much slower pace than what is required for top competitive level.
That’s why Indian players make so many mistakes, like missed passes and missed traps, when playing against top, faster, opponents.
At the junior team’s high-altitude camp in Shilaroo, Himachal Pradesh, last year, the huge disparity in the levels of the mainstays and the new entrants was discouraging.
Time for substantial changes
Germany is the most decorated team in modern times, having won four Olympics and six junior World Cup titles. “In Germany, we follow the same system from the grassroots to the club level up to the national teams. That has worked for us for long. May be India should follow it,” said Valentin Altenburg, coach of Germany’s junior team.
It’s time for India to pick a style and build a system accordingly. Above all, a program to develop coaches must be started, with a uniform syllabus and regular clinics by renowned foreign coaches. Hockey India can start with the most promising Indian coaches, who can later spread the knowledge to coaches working at the grassroots level.
Australia made substantial changes over 40 years ago, and the results have been visible in the last 15 years.
There is no shortcut for India to regain its lost glory. By winning the World Cup on home soil, the juniors have achieved a historic feat; but if this victory can inspire the first step towards extensive and long-term changes, it will be these boys’ biggest triumph.
Punjab leads the way
It is no secret that a big reason for India’s rise is the revival of Punjab. In the World Cup winning team, 10 players were from the state, specifically from Surjit Academy in Jalandhar.
“The seeds of this revival were sown 10 years ago, when the talent-scouting process and training system saw a complete overhaul,” said Sukhvir Singh Grewal, director training, Punjab Institute of Sports. “To make sure that the level of the smaller centres — which are the feeder units for the major academies — rose, we started giving them technical support. In the last 10 years, the pool of players has increased from 2000 to 5000; which has resulted in the number of players in the elite academies rising from 120 to 400,” he added.
“In the last 10 years, we have had regular clinics, mainly about the basics, for coaches. Surjit Academy has had a physical trainer for over six years. Now that Punjab has signed an MoU with Victoria University, the state will get the much-needed scientific backing,” he added.
Punjab recently signed an MoU with Australia’s Victoria University, which is a knowledge partner with the Australian Institute of Sports, the leading institute in the country. Under the MoU, the university will help formulate a long-term athlete development program, and it will regularly send coaches and sports scientists to organise clinics for the state’s coaches and trainers.
The Tribune
Sahara Group extends Hockey India sponsorship till 2021
NEW DELHI: In what can be termed as a major boost to Indian hockey, the Sahara Group has renewed its association with Hockey India by signing a sponsorship deal which will run till 2021.
Associated with Indian hockey since 1995, Sahara India will be the major partner of the national teams at the junior and senior levels until 2021.
"Hockey is our national game and we are very proud of the team's performances at both junior and senior level, men and women, in the past year. Sahara India Pariwar is committed to the development of the sport at all levels and are keen to continue our partnership with Hockey India in their endeavour to achieve greater heights," stated Abhijit Sarkar, Head Corporate Communications, Sahara India Pariwar.
"We at Sahara India Pariwar believe that with adequate backing the young crop of players have it in them to create greater success stories in the following years similar to the Junior World Cup win, the men's FIH Champions Trophy Silver medal performance as well as the women winning the Asian Champions Trophy. These results show that Indian hockey is on the right path towards bringing laurels for India," he added.
Sahara India said that apart from the sponsorship with Hockey India, it would continue to help players in different ways as has been in the past.
"Sahara India Pariwar has been a major supporter of Indian hockey for a long time now and we are very grateful to them for partnering us in our endeavour to bring about the hockey revolution. We could not have created success stories without the continued support of Sahara India Pariwar. We thank Sahara India Pariwar for extending their support of Indian Hockey to 2021," Hockey India President Mariamma Koshy said.
Economic Times
Global Projects of 2016: Africa
Discover more about some of Africa's most inspiring hockey projects last year Photo: Ghana Hockey Association
As part of our series looking at some of the standout Global hockey Projects from 2016, we look at some projects in Africa that have the potential to inspire others in 2017...
At the end of a year that has seen a lot of hockey development, particularly among West African nations, we catch-up with three projects that have enjoyed immense growth and success.
Ghana Gain Momentum
With Ghana women’s hockey team competing in Round 2 of the Hockey World League in Valencia, Spain, in February after they convincingly won their Round 1 event, the West Africa Targeted Assistance Programme (TAP) is beginning to reap success.
Certainly, one of the coaches, Darren Cheeseman, who has worked on this particular TAP since its launch was positively bubbling with enthusiasm as he spoke about working with the team in the build-up to Valencia.
TAP West Africa started in 2014 when Cheeseman, Seigfried Aikman and Umpire Coach Mark Jarvis visited Ghana and began a programme of coach and umpire education.
Since then the Ghana women’s national team has visited Bisham Abbey to train with England and Great Britain players and the coaching team have re-visited the West African country to update the training and check on progress.
Ghana also came a clear second in the African Championships behind South Africa and saw their world ranking rise to 28 from the mid-30s.
TAP is a collaboration between FIH, England Hockey, UK Sport, the African Hockey Federation and the Ghana Hockey Association. The target is sustainability and longevity, with the three aims of: grass roots development; building an umpire and coach education programme in Ghana and the wider West Africa area; and developing the high performance teams.
All three targets are being met. Equipment is on its way to Ghana, courtesy of a scheme to get players to donate old sticks and goalkeeper kit; the coach educator programme has resulted in 21 level one coaches, against a target of 12; 18 level two coaches against a target of four; plus 21 trained umpires; and Ghana is in line to do well at the African continental championships in 2017.
Cote d’Ivoire taps into potential
Another beneficiary of the West Africa TAP is Cote d’Ivoire. Martial Kouadio, President of the Cote D’Ivoire Hockey Association, is working hard to promote hockey in the West African country.
Along with Vanessa Guenanon – the only female hockey coach in the country – they currently run coaching sessions for more than 110 young players, using just 30 sticks, some coaching manuals and a whole heap of enthusiasm.
“Myself and Vanessa took our level one coaching certificate in May this year,” says Kouadio. “It was organised through the FIH TAP, which is being run from Ghana for West African hockey-playing nations.”
Regular hockey training sessions run two or three times a week, with an event once a month that visits places that do not yet have hockey coaching centres. There is no funding available for the sessions, so Kouadio pays for transport, drinks and any equipment that has not been donated.
Kouadio’s main aims are to build up good youth teams, get hold of as much equipment as possible and build an artificial pitch.
The perfect 10
The Hockey Dreams Foundation's main ambition is to get 10 coaches working within 10 African countries over the next 10 years. Through that simple equation, the founders hope to change the lives of thousands of children by instilling a love of sport and an appreciation of a healthy lifestyle.
It is a system that also changes the lives of the coaches, as the programme offers an education, mentoring and, once trained, a way for the coaches to make a living from hockey.
We first came across the Hockey Dreams Foundation when it was known as the Kadish Foundation. Renamed and rebranded this year, the Hockey Dreams Foundation is the brainchild of Gijs Hardeman, but the Dutchman is now taking more of a strategic, rather than an operational role.
This is definitely a project that changes lives. The oldest coach on the programme is a 35-year-old woman who was illiterate when she joined. She is now working her way through evening school while coaching during the day. A few more years catching up on her schooling and she will be able to get on a course or start her own business.
Samuel is another member of the Kadish Foundation. He is the first Zambian to play for a Dutch club. Hardeman hopes the 90 days he spent at Baarn Hockey Club will turn into a regular slot each year.
The ultimate aim, 10, 15, 20 years down the line, is for the Kadish Foundation, under its new name, to be a wholly African organisation, self-funding, well run and totally sustainable.
For more information about hockey in the African region, visit the African Hockey Federation website by clicking here.
FIH site
We are Hiring!
Brussels: Are you looking to be part of our dynamic team in our Head Office in Brussels? We are hiring a part-time Internal Accountant.
Job Description:
Title: EHF Internal Accountant
Location: EHF Office, Brussels, Belgium
Type of Appointment: Part time (One day per week or equivalent)
Application deadline: 20th January 2017
Skill Requirements:
- Excellent knowledge of accounting (accounts payable, receivable and general ledger).
- Good knowledge of the Belgian and EU VAT-rules.
- Excellent ability to communicate and good human relations.
- English: Fluent oral and written. Other languages a significant advantage.
- Excellent IT skills. Knowledge of Kluwer Expert/m Plus and Isabel are a significant advantage.
- Ability to meet strict deadlines.
The Position:
The Internal Accountant’s main responsibilities will be:
- To prepare and encode the sales invoices of EHF in close cooperation with the EHF Operations Manager, applying the correct BE or EU VAT-rules and. To follow-up the outstanding debtors and to send payment reminders.
- To check and and encode the purchase invoices of EHF, applying the correct VAT-deduction. To prepare the monthly or two-weekly payments to the creditors using the accounting software and Isabel, ask for approval of the invoices and payments of the Director General.
- To collect the receipts of credit card expenses from the card users, to check the expenses and to encode the monthly credit card statements.
- To collect the receipts of cash expenses from the cash float users, to check the expenses, to keep the cash books and to encode the cash books on a monthly basis.
- To encode the financial statements regularly.
- To work closely with the external accountant for the preparation of the monthly VAT-return and the monthly balance sheet, keeping in mind the strict deadlines for the monthly VAT-return.
- To ensure, in conjunction with the Director General and external accountant that the accounts receivable, accounts payable and the general ledger are maintained and up-to date on a monthly basis. To proactively and spontaneously follow-up and, if needed, contact the creditors, the EHF officers and/or Staff members should any invoices or receipts be missing.
- To prepare the yearly budget in cooperation with the Director General and Hon. Treasurer and follow-up of the actual income and expenses compared to the budget.
Place in the organisation:
- Report to the Director General
- Close co-operation with the EHF Director General and Operations Manager and other EHF staff.
- Close cooperation with the external accountant for the preparation of the monthly VAT-return, the monthly balance sheet and the yearly balance sheet
- Close cooperation with the EHF Hon. Treasurer for the preparation and follow-up of the budget.
Other Information:
- The role is based in the EHF Office in Brussels.
- Candidates must be available to interview in Brussels.
How to apply for this job:
Please apply with full career details and current salary no later than 20th January by e-mail to: –
Angus Kirkland
Director General
European Hockey Federation
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
EuroHockey media release