He was Man of the Tournament in Pakistan's victorious 1982 World Cup-winning campaign in Mumbai and then led Pakistan to the Olympic gold at the 1984 Los Angeles Games
Pakistan hockey great Hasan Sardar in Jakarta yesterday. Pic/Ashwin Ferro
There was a time when Pakistan hockey ruled the world and the mercurial Hasan Sardar was the toast of the nation. He was Man of the Tournament in Pakistan's victorious 1982 World Cup-winning campaign in Mumbai and then led Pakistan to the Olympic gold at the 1984 Los Angeles Games. However, as things stand currently, according to Sardar, all that has changed.
"It's very sad but kids are not taking to hockey anymore in Pakistan. Earlier, a lot of kids from Karachi and the frontier regions played hockey, but now only a few from the Punjab region play the game," Sardar, 60, manager of the Pakistan hockey team at the Asian Games here, told mid-day during a team training session at the Gelora Bung Karno Sports Complex yesterday.
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'No heroes to look up to'
Sardar added: "The reason for this is simple – the Pakistan hockey team are not doing well, so youngsters do not have any heroes to look up to and hence not drawn to the sport. While I was growing up, our national teams were world beaters and that inspired us to play the game. We too wanted to be Olympic and World Champions. Then, when I began playing and achieving success, Pakistan hockey continued its upswing and everyone back home couldn't stop talking about the game. But now, there are not even whispers about the game back home."
Pakistan hockey has had no credible podium performance in the last few years. They finished sixth in the Champions Trophy this year and are current ranked a poor 13th in the world. Sardar, however, believes things can change in Pakistan hockey if India and Pakistan play together more.
Sardar has a plan
"Even today, whenever India and Pakistan play hockey, anywhere in the world, the crowd is maximum. People may not come to see a world or European champion team play but they always want to see India play Pakistan. We should harbour this potential and ensure it works in our favour," he said.
The recent appointment of head coach Roelant Oltmans too can bring about a turnaround, he felt. "I've always believed that the need of the hour for Pakistan hockey is foreign coaches. So, when I was appointed manager, I insisted that the Pakistan Hockey Federation appoint a foreign coach. I believe Oltmans can bring about positive results and that will result in the game gaining popularity once again back home and more kids investing their time in the sport," he concluded.
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