Expose Indian, Pak players to Europeans: Pak player

Chandigarh, Mar 5 (UNI) Pakistan goalkeeper Salman Akbar has described the Indo-Pak hockey series as ''useless and unproductive'' and advocated that the players of the two countries could benefit more by playing against Europeans.

Talking to mediapersons here last night, Salman, who is representing Orissa Steelers in the Premier Hockey League (PHL) here said, ''It would be better to play against European teams to improve hockey standards in India and Pakistan.'' He admitted that playing in a Indo-Pak series, the players of both countries get recognition as the series draw good crowds and also get television coverage in both countries. ''But the present hockey demands to play with the European teams,'' he added.

''The Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) and the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) make good money from the Indo-Pak series but there is no use playing against each other every time,'' Salman said.

When his attention was drawn to a report appearing in a Pakistan Daily that the Pakistani players taking part in the Indian PHL ''suffer from isolation and psychological problems'', Salman said ''selection of Chennai as one of PHL venues was wrong, but there is absolutely no problem in Chandigarh. Language was the main problem, as no body speaks Hindi or Punjabi in Chennai.'' Former Pakistan captain Hanif Khan was one of the touring managers to observe the Pak-players, has reported to the PHF that that the Indian league had gradually left the Pakistani players ''mentally disturbed and physically stale''.

''The problem in Chennai was of language. From ground to hotel and hotel to ground was the routine. Chennai was really no good venue.

However, once we were in Chandigarh everything was fine. We speak Hindi and Punjabi In fact we are at home with same culture and customs here,'' he said.

''I take hockey as a profession and not a passion. We are here to play hockey. I will be returning on March 7 and I will be taking part in the Pakistan National Hockey Championship beginning on March 12,'' he said Salman criticised the Sher-e-Jalandhar team for their aggressive behaviour. ''They want to win and the umpires seem to be afraid of the Jalandhar players. No action is taken for their deliberate and dangerous fouls'', he said while claiming that a senior Jalandhar player slapped a player of the Steelers in the first final here, but action has been taken against that player.

''Are the umpires afraid of Punjab Police players for taking any action?'', he wondered while pointing out that a majority of the players of Jalandhar belonged to the Punjab Police.

UNI