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Pakistan hires Dutch hockey coach Heuvel

PHF spokesman Shahzad Malik said that Heuvel is expected to arrive in Pakistan next week.

  • AP
  • Published: 18:50 June 19, 2010

Islamabad: The Pakistan Hockey Federation on Saturday appointed Dutchman Michel van den Heuvel as its new national coach.

PHF spokesman Shahzad Malik said that Heuvel is expected to arrive in Pakistan next week.

"Heuvel will join the training camp at Karachi on Monday," Malik said.

Malik added that Heuvel's contract will run until the 2012 Olympics in London and that the appointment of a foreign coach had been approved by the sports ministry.

Earlier this year, Pakistan finished last at the 12-team field hockey World Cup in New Delhi under its previous coach, former Olympian Shahid Ali Khan.

The PHF had been talking to several foreign coaches before choosing Heuvel.
Heuvel coached the Netherlands team which finished third in the World Cup. He will be Pakistan's third Dutch coach after Hans Jorritsma and Roelant Oltmans.

PHF secretary Asif Bajwa was hopeful the appointment will improve the team.

"We have taken this decision (of appointing a foreign coach) in the best interest of the game after serious deliberations," he said in a statement. "The PHF thinks that this is the only way to get back to the top and we are sure that he (Heuvel) is capable of delivering the goods."

Pakistan is due to compete in two big events this year with Commonwealth Games at New Delhi and the Asian Games in China.

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