Can't bring Pak hockey team on winning track overnight: Junaid

Karachi, Apr 19(ANI): Newly appointed Pakistan's hockey coach, Khwaja Junaid, has said he cannot bring the team on to the winning track overnight.

Junaid said that coaching the national team is a big task for him after its disappointing performance in the World Cup, and accepted the responsibility as a challenge.

He further said he has reviewed the performance of the players during the World Cup, and would try to remove the shortcomings during the training camp for next month's Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Ipoh (Malaysia), The News reports.

Earlier on Friday, Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) had appointed Junaid after failing to rope in a foreign coach due to security-related concerns in the country.

Junaid has been appointed for an interim period for the tournament in Ipoh, May 6-16.

He replaced Shahid Ali Khan, who was sacked after Pakistan's dismal last-place finish in the World Cup.

He has been serving as the national junior team coach, and under his command, Pakistan has won three of the four events it has featured on the international circuit since early last year. (ANI)