The Pakistan Embassy in Belgium hosted a reception in honour of the Pakistan hockey team, attended by members of the Pakistani community, prominent figures from various walks of life, diplomatic officials and players of the national team.
Pakistan’s Ambassador Rahim Hayat Qureshi warmly welcomed the players and officials at the event and encouraged the young players, calling them Pakistan’s bright future, said a Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) press release issued on Tuesday. Manzoor-ul-Hassan, chief coach of the Pakistan hockey team, thanked the embassy and the ambassador, saying the love, sincerity and professionalism shown by the Pakistani diplomatic staff in hosting the team since their arrival in Belgium was commendable.
He said the embassy had provided full guidance and care for the team from the moment they landed and that the players were deeply grateful to Ambassador Rahim Hayat and the entire embassy team for the respect and encouragement extended to them. Addressing the gathering, the chief coach also spoke about the national team’s current situation and the challenges facing young players. He said Pakistan’s young hockey players were talented, but years away from major international competitions had visibly affected their confidence and brought added mental pressure.
He said Pakistan had not played at a Hockey World Cup or the Olympics for the past eight years, and it was natural for young players’ confidence to be affected when they had fewer opportunities to compete against top-ranked teams.