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Thursday, November 21, 2024  
18 Jumada Al-Awwal 1446  

Coach and manager get into argument after hockey team’s return to Pakistan

The manager reportedly took away the team's equipment to Defence Hockey Arena
File photo.
File photo.

Pakistan’s hockey team ran into a controversy immediately upton their return to the country after participating in the Champions Trophy in India.

Head coach Muhammad Saqlain and Managar Umar Sabir reportedly got into an argument as soon as the team’s bus reached Pakistan through the Wagah border.

Sources said that the argument started over handling of the team’s equipment when the team’s bus was taken to the Defence Hockey Arena instead of the National Hockey Stadium.

Sabir reportedly offloaded the team’s supplements and medication at the Defence Arena. He also offloaded the penalty corner equipment and practice balls.

Sources said that the heach coach tried to stop the manager from taking away the equipment, maintaining that they belonged to the national team.

Saqlain said that the equipment would be needed during the team’s traning camp for the Asian games as well.

On the other hand, Sabir said that the Defence Arena had a ‘right’ to the team’s equipment as it was the sponsor of the greenshirts.

Sources aslso claimed that the manager had been ‘estranged’ from the team during the Champions Trophy tour and did not turn up to meetings and breakfasts. He allegedly used INR70,000 of the team’s funds for shopping as well.

Pakistan stood fifth in the recently concluded Champions Trophy in Chennai. The team will look to bounce back in the Asian Games for which a training camp is expected to be organised soon in Rawalpindi.

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