21 players selected for Sydney hockey trials

May 7th, 2009 KARACHI - Pakistan's hockey experts believe that the team will have to revert to the old style of playing attacking hockey to win the Asia Cup title in Malaysia. Pakistan is one of the seven teams competing in the 2009 Asia Cup which will get underway in Kuantan (Malaysia) Saturday.

May 5th, 2009 NEW DELHI - India's new hockey coach Jose Manuel Brasa thinks that acting coach Harendra Singh has done a good job of managing the Indian team in the last couple of months and he should see it through the Asia Cup at Kuantan in Malaysia. The Spaniard, who is leaving for the Malaysian city Tuesday to join the Indian squad after taking over as national coach, said he would only be observing the players at the tournament.

April 7th, 2009 LEH - In a rare honour, the Indian Ice Hockey team was felicitated on its return from Abu Dhabi (UAE), where it participated in the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) Challenge Cup of Asia. Ajit Kumar Sahu, Deputy Commissioner, Leh in Jammu and Kashmir did the honours.

March 19th, 2009 KARACHI - The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) Wednesday announced its squad for the 26th Sultan Azlan Shah Hockey Cup Tournament to be played in Malaysia. Zeeshan Ashraf will captain the side and Mohammad Imran will be his deputy.

March 12th, 2009 SRINAGAR - Ice hockey players from Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir will represent India at an international event. The team will represent India at the IIHF challenge cup of Asia being hosted at Abu Dhabi.

March 10th, 2009 SYDNEY - Hockey legend Ric Charlesworth says the attack in Lahore has vindicated Australian hockey's decision not to tour Pakistan for most of the past decade. Charlesworth also said that the only reason Cricket Australia (CA) kept sending lower tier cricket teams, such as Australia A, was to satisfy the International Cricket Council (ICC).

February 28th, 2009 KARACHI - Pakistan are confident of their performance in the Asia Cup hockey starting in May but feel they will face tough competition from defending champions India. In a bid to qualify for the 2010 World Cup, Pakistan will be targeting India in this May's Asia Cup to be played in Dubai.

February 7th, 2009 CHANDIGARH - A set of stretching exercises is the fitness mantra of European hockey champions Netherlands in tough conditions in India. They have qualified for the final of the Punjab Gold Cup hockey tournament and are looking to pose a tough challenge for India in Monday's title clash.

February 5th, 2009 NEW DELHI - India's chief coach Bob Houghton has said the country's footballers should try their luck in overseas leagues. Referring to young forward Sunil Chettri's trials at Coventry City in England, Houghton feels that the Delhi boy has set an example for his fellow players.

February 2nd, 2009 CHANDIGARH - India's coach in-charge Harender Singh lashed out at hockey selectors for questioning the commitment of the senior players in the side. Selector Aslam Sher Khan had said that the ongoing Punjab Gold Cup tournament will be the last chance for the senior players to prove themselves.

January 30th, 2009 CHANDIGARH - European champions the Netherlands were left embarrassed here Saturday when they had to send their star players Taeke Takeme and Teum de Noiijer back home after they were found violating the norms regarding the number of players in the Punjab Gold Cup Hockey Tournament. 'Each teams can bring 18 players for the tournament but the Netherlands came here with a 20-player squad.

January 30th, 2009 CHANDIGARH - Olympic champions Germany may be the favourite in the four-nation Punjab Gold Cup hockey tournament, but coach Marcus Weise believes they will face a strong challenge from India, once a powerhouse of the game. Indian hockey is not in the same league anymore.

January 29th, 2009 CHANDIGARH - Players of all the four teams participating in the inaugural Punjab Gold Cup invitational hockey tournament will undergo dope tests. Organising committee officials said the players will be tested as per the guidelines of the International Hockey Federation's (FIH) anti-doping policy.

January 15th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Spaniard Jose Brasa should be able to land the job of India's hockey coach without much of a hassle as he says pay package is not his prime concern and he is only looking for a decent tenure with a motivated support staff to work with. 'Money is not a problem at all.

December 26th, 2008 NEW DELHI - Diwakar Ram will lead a 16-member squad for the under-21 four-nation hockey Australian Youth Olympic Festival in Sydney from Jan 14. Sixteen players and five standbys were selected for the meet after trials in Bhopal.