Butt has his causes for that, which he shared on this interview with Timesofindia.com throughout Pakistan workforce’s go to for the Males’s Asia Champions Trophy (ACT) not too long ago held in Chennai, the place India went on to carry the title beating Malaysia within the ultimate.
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Intertwined with anecdotes from the well-known India vs Pakistan encounters he was a part of and the off-field bonhomie he nonetheless shares with the Indian gamers, Butt talked about what Pakistan hockey ought to do to carry its standing as soon as once more and what the Worldwide Hockey Federation (FIH) may have a look at by way of tweaking the principles, which is able to assist hockey produce international stars as soon as once more.
Excerpts of an interview to TimesofIndia.com…
You have got been to India typically. Do you’re feeling any change every time you come again?
I by no means really feel I’m in India. I by no means really feel we’re two nations. Identical kind of meals, identical kind of garments. So that you by no means notice whether or not you’re in Pakistan or India. However sure, when India and Pakistan are enjoying towards one another (in India), then the whole stadium is with India and if Pakistan scores a aim, then there may be pin-drop silence. The identical will occur in Pakistan if India performs there. It is pure. But when we (Pakistan) are enjoying towards one other workforce, then the Indian crowd helps us. After we get out of the stadium, individuals wish to meet us. The media has at all times made us really feel welcome.
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However the usual of Pakistan hockey has fallen drastically, to the purpose that the workforce has missed Olympics and World Cups. Has that taken the sheen off the India vs Pakistan hockey rivalry, you assume?
Every time India and Pakistan have performed, it is by no means been like a distinction of 5-7 targets…and it is not in regards to the groups on paper when India and Pakistan play. It is a completely different state of affairs altogether on the bottom…Every time it is India vs Pakistan, teaching goes within the dustbin and simply feelings and ‘josh’ (enthusiasm) is on show.
Picture credit score: ANI
Nonetheless Pakistan hockey wants to search out methods to convey again its wonderful previous…
Pakistan hockey is now bored with short-term planning; we’ve got to begin planning for the long run. Should you see this workforce (that participated in ACT 2023 in Chennai), it is a younger workforce, with gamers having 2, 4, 5 caps…Until now, no matter little worldwide expertise they’ve, the workforce is enjoying excellently. All people is saying that we’re attending to see Pakistan’s attacking hockey once more after a very long time. So it feels good.
You have been a part of many India-Pakistan video games. What sort of relationship do you share with the Indian gamers?
Largely it is what I am unable to share (smiles), however nonetheless I’ll let you know. We have been sort of naughty; not simply me; there was Salman Akbar, Muhammad Saqlain and others. If we speak in regards to the Indian workforce, we had Gagan (Ajit Singh), Jugraj (Singh), Kamalpreet (Singh), Prabhjot (Singh). After we used to exit collectively, it was a special environment altogether. However I’ll preserve these tales on the facet and let you know a narrative from the bottom.
I believe it was through the 8-match home-and-away collection between India and Pakistan, with 4 video games in India and 4 in Pakistan. This, I imagine, was through the match in Jalandhar. There was an Indian full-back referred to as Harpal. I dodged him and his patka (turban) got here off a bit. He confirmed me his stick in anger and mentioned ‘tu mainu mareya’ (you hit me). I informed him “mai tainu nahi mareya, eh aape khul geya, tu gussa kyo karna peya’ (I did not hit you, it got here off by itself, why are you getting indignant). However he mentioned now you come once more close to me. The I dodged him as soon as once more and he mentioned ‘hun tu aa (now you come)’. Then I informed him ‘Now I do not wish to come, I’ve completed what I wished to do’ (laughs).
So this sort of chit-chat went on after we have been on the sphere. However off the sphere we’re shut buddies. Like once I entered India from Wagah border (with the ACT workforce), Jugraj got here to obtain me, then on his telephone Kamalpreet referred to as. So, good reminiscences have been revived.
Crew India apart, has the usual of hockey in Asia total declined?
Not simply in Asia, the usual of hockey has fallen world over. Should you have a look at Germany, it’s the No. 5 ranked workforce (4th in present FIH Males’s workforce rankings), Australia is No. 6. It means total (the extent of) hockey is falling. Inform me one factor: Of late, which star has hockey produced? Such as you had Dhanraj Pillay – huge star, Shahbaz Sr – huge star, Pargat Singh – huge star. Then from our period, Sandeep Singh – huge star, Sohail Abbas – huge star, individuals know Rehan Butt as properly. Why has (the) star tradition vanished? As a result of proper now the standard of gamers will not be the identical.
Should you discuss one (star) participant that India depends on presently, it is their drag-flicker Harmanpreet Singh. However which international participant do you assume is a giant star? Earlier, there was Christopher Zeller, Teun de Nooijer, Taeke Taekema, Floris Bovelander and plenty of others. Folks knew them. Proper now, I do not assume followers can title even one participant who performs for Holland, Germany, and so forth.
Picture credit score: PTI
What would you recommend if requested how this may be modified?
To alter this, the rolling substitution rule must be altered. These days, each two minutes we name a participant again simply because hockey has change into very quick. Which star is born in two minutes? He comes again, sits out for 3 minutes, then goes again in, then performs for 2-Three minutes. I believe this factor is ending heroes in hockey.
I’ve a suggestion associated to this for the FIH. If a participant has come out after enjoying for five minutes in a selected quarter, then he shouldn’t be allowed to return in throughout the identical quarter. This may make the coach take into consideration holding his greatest gamers on the pitch for 7-10 minutes and relaxation them for the final 5 minutes. Till such tweaks are made, I do not assume hockey will begin producing stars once more.
A trial of latest PC guidelines was additionally supplied by the FIH, however they withdrew that quickly after….
Drag-flickers produce targets, so this too is sort of placing an finish to (the) star tradition. Each nation has invested lots with a purpose to put together the drag-flickers that they’ve now.
In case India do not go on to win the gold medal on the Asian Video games, they should journey to Pakistan to play the Olympic qualifiers. How huge will that be for Pakistan hockey?
It is going to be very huge. It has been some time since India travelled to Pakistan; I believe it was 2004-05 when India final got here to Pakistan. However India have a very good likelihood (to win gold) on the Asian Video games. They’re a really superior workforce, ranked world No. 4 (climbed to No. Three after successful the ACT). The opposite (Asian) groups are languishing at No. 9, 10 and decrease.
