It will take time to get back to the top: Pakistan coach Zaman

BENGALURU: Think Pakistan hockey and images of flair and artistic display the country was once synonymous with flash across the mind. But since winning the 2010 Asian Games gold, the team has slid from global relevance. They hit rock bottom when they failed to qualify for the 2023 World Cup and the Paris Olympics this year. Currently ranked 16th in the world, hockey in Pakistan is plagued by internal squabble, mismanagement and lack of funds.
The ongoing Asian Champions Trophy in China is their first major outing in recent times.Before the tournament, chief coach Roelant Oltmans called it quits and one of Pakistan's best-known past masters, Tahir Zaman, stepped in.
The 55-year-old, who turned to coaching over two decades ago, was roped in just before the start of the tournament. Starting from ground zero, the former skipper, while staying realistic, is ready for the long haul entailed in reshaping Pakistan's hockey.
While Zaman is keen to use his expertise of having coached across the world, he understands it will take time.
"It is a time-consuming process. We must deal with it patiently. But I'm sure that we have talent, enough talent to come back strong in world hockey. It will take time for us to get back to where Pakistan hockey lovers want us to be. There is no shortcut. We need to define and polish talent in the right direction. Ultimately, we can bind them into a very good national team," Zaman told select media on Wednesday.
The journey Zaman has embarked on is strewn with deep-rooted challenges.
"Without proper infra structure, working on players' welfare or national-level high-performance centres is not going to be easy. I'm glad that the discussions we have had with the Pakistan Hockey Federation officials in the past few weeks have been good. The government and the PHF are quite aware of the needs.
Hopefully, those things are going to happen soon because without the infrastructure we cannot work on educating about basic hockey coaching, physical, technical, tactical, psychological and social developments," said Zaman, who also stressed the need to shore up the domestic circuit which is in the doldrums.
Hockey in Asia has thrived on the rivalry between India and Pakistan and Zaman advocated the need for more matches between the two countries.
"When Pakistan and India play against each other, no matter at which level, it is a high-level emotional contest. That is where the players improve their psychological strength. So, we need to play regularly not just at the senior level but also at the junior level and the women's teams as well," he added.
'India on a different level now'
Having been a part of an era of fierce rivalry between the two nations, Zaman is quick to admit it is no more a matchup between equals. "I think India is playing on a different level now. For the past 10-12 years, they have been consistently working with foreign setups. All the professionals have worked well, and they have benefited from that system. The back-to-back bronze medal at the Olympics is proof enough," he conceded.
As India take on Pakistan on Saturday, Zaman was quick to add that driven by emotions, his team can be tricky to face.
"Pakistan versus India is a game of nerves. Although there is a huge difference between these two teams now, when they play one another, it is very emotional. Our players are unpredictable, and they can do wonders sometimes. If we can tactically manage a few things against India, I think we can create chances to give them a tough time," he said.
(Sony Sports Network is the official broadcaster for the Hero Asian Champions Trophy. Watch the matches Live on Sony Sports TEN 1 SD & HD from Sept 8 to 17)