PHF wooing foreign players for pro hockey league
Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has started to woo foreign players for the inaugural edition of country’s franchise-based professional domestic league, to be launched by the year end.
Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has started to woo foreign players for the inaugural edition of country’s franchise-based professional domestic league, to be launched by the year end.
“We are vigorously making efforts to initiate our first pro league before the end of this year. And for that we’ve started to make contacts with players of different hockey playing nations, including Holland, Germany and Asian countries,” PHF President Brig (rtd) Khalid Sajjad Khokhar told APP.
He said Pakistan’s hockey league would be sanctioned by International Hockey Federation (FIH) adding that the federation was in touch with world hockey governing body to avoid any clash with international events. “As soon as we get a nod from the FIH we’ll announce the exact dates of the league,” he said.
Divulging details he said that there would be at least five to six teams of different cities and each of these would have two foreign players. “We’re optimistic to get attention of a reasonable number of international players,” he said adding that the owners of the franchises would themselves decide the names of their teams.
To a query he said that best players from India would also be invited for the league adding that the exact situation regarding participation of players from the neighbouring country would be clear after a couple of months.
Khokhar said there would be three categories of players – category A, B and C. “Players of category A will be offered around 1.5 million rupees, of B category around one million rupees and that of C category will get around 0.8 million rupees”, he added.
He said talks were also in progress for the official broadcasters of the league.
“Besides providing financial support to us, the league will prove a landmark in regaining the lost glory of hockey. We are sure it’ll l help rebuild our supremacy in the game internationally,” he maintained.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) on Monday announced to cancel the three-match series between Pakistan senior and junior hockey teams.
According to a PHF press release the event has been cancelled due to uncertain situation as a result of terrorists attack on the innocent people at Gulshan-e-Iqbal Park, Lahore on Sunday and the three days mourning announced by the Government of Punjab.
The series was scheduled to take place from Tuesday to prepare for Sultan Azlan Shah Cup that takes place in Ipoh, Malaysia from April 6 to 16.
The first match of senior-junior series was scheduled to be held on March 29 in Sargodha, while the second and third fixtures were to take place on March 30 and 31 at Khushab and Lahore, respectively.
(Source: Pak Observer)
“We are vigorously making efforts to initiate our first pro league before the end of this year. And for that we’ve started to make contacts with players of different hockey playing nations, including Holland, Germany and Asian countries,” PHF President Brig (rtd) Khalid Sajjad Khokhar told APP.
He said Pakistan’s hockey league would be sanctioned by International Hockey Federation (FIH) adding that the federation was in touch with world hockey governing body to avoid any clash with international events. “As soon as we get a nod from the FIH we’ll announce the exact dates of the league,” he said.
Divulging details he said that there would be at least five to six teams of different cities and each of these would have two foreign players. “We’re optimistic to get attention of a reasonable number of international players,” he said adding that the owners of the franchises would themselves decide the names of their teams.
To a query he said that best players from India would also be invited for the league adding that the exact situation regarding participation of players from the neighbouring country would be clear after a couple of months.
Khokhar said there would be three categories of players – category A, B and C. “Players of category A will be offered around 1.5 million rupees, of B category around one million rupees and that of C category will get around 0.8 million rupees”, he added.
He said talks were also in progress for the official broadcasters of the league.
“Besides providing financial support to us, the league will prove a landmark in regaining the lost glory of hockey. We are sure it’ll l help rebuild our supremacy in the game internationally,” he maintained.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) on Monday announced to cancel the three-match series between Pakistan senior and junior hockey teams.
According to a PHF press release the event has been cancelled due to uncertain situation as a result of terrorists attack on the innocent people at Gulshan-e-Iqbal Park, Lahore on Sunday and the three days mourning announced by the Government of Punjab.
The series was scheduled to take place from Tuesday to prepare for Sultan Azlan Shah Cup that takes place in Ipoh, Malaysia from April 6 to 16.
The first match of senior-junior series was scheduled to be held on March 29 in Sargodha, while the second and third fixtures were to take place on March 30 and 31 at Khushab and Lahore, respectively.
(Source: Pak Observer)
