New coach for Pakistan's hockey team

Pakistan appointed a new national hockey coach today in the wake of the team's recent dismal performance, the Pakistan Hockey Federation said.

Shahnaz Sheikh, a former leftside forward, is to replace coach Tahir Zaman, who was only appointed in May, the Federation said.

"These changes were necessary after the recent lack of performance by the team. We had a thorough discussion and invited suggestions from former players and have done the necessary," secretary of the foundation Brigadier Musarradullah Khan said.

Pakistan lost to Malaysia in the play-off for third position in last month's Asian Games in Busan, South Korea, leaving it medal-less for the first time in the Games' history.

Under Zaman, the three-times Olympic and four-times world champions also lost 1-7 to lowly-ranked New Zealand in the Commonwealth Games in Manchester in July.

They ended up snagging bronze and also walked away with bronze in the elite six-team Champions Trophy in Germany afterwards, but its Asian Games performance has raised questions of whether the team is in a serious slump.

Sheikh vowed to revive Pakistan hockey and said he had gold within sight for the Athens Olympics in 2004.

"We need time to get the needed improvement so I ask the nation to bear with us and we will do our best to win the Olympics in two years," said Sheikh.

"Pakistan is still perceived as a threat in international hockey but we are not producing the desired results."