Skipping Pro League in 2019 cost us dearly: Pakistan hockey head coach Manzur ul Hassan
Newly-appointed hockey team head coach Manzur ul Hassan believes Pakistan erred by not taking part in the first edition of the FIH Pro League back in 2019, saying it denied players of valuable exposure against top opposition.
Pakistan had been excluded from the inaugural FIH Pro League after withdrawing from its first three matches. As a result, it had to play in the second division Nations Cup alongside lower-ranked teams before earning a promotion back to the Pro League.
“It was a mistake to not play in the FIH Pro League when it started in 2019 and our players missed out on valuable opportunities to test themselves against top sides,” the former Olympian said on Tuesday.
“If you look at the other teams, they have been playing in the Pro League since 2019, which we missed out on as our players were relegated to playing against low-ranked sides,” he added.
Hassan is currently overseeing a training camp ahead of next month’s Pro League leg, where Pakistan is set to face top sides including Belgium, Spain, India and England.
Hassan identified deep defence as the team’s biggest area of concern and stressed the need for significant improvement in that department.
“In modern-day hockey, I think deep defence has a very important role to play as now attacks and counterattacks happen very quickly, so the goalkeeper and deep defenders have to be very grounded,” he said.
Pakistan has qualified for the World Cup, to be played in Belgium and the Netherlands in August, after a gap of eight years.
The former Olympian said his immediate priority is to ensure Pakistan performs strongly at the Asian Games and secures direct qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
His appointment has sparked debate within Pakistan hockey circles, with some questioning whether the 74-year-old is in tune with the demands of modern hockey and suggesting a foreign coach might have been a better choice ahead of the World Cup.
However, Hassan dismissed concerns over his age.
“I don’t think age is a factor, as I have been very active as a coach in domestic hockey with my departmental teams. Secondly, I have a full support staff to assist me, and my main job is to keep the players comfortable and happy by communicating well with them. My other job is to strategise for every match,” Manzur said.
Published on May 05, 2026