BEIJING: Zakauddin, one of the finest forwards produced by Pakistan who is here as the team manager at the ripe age of 72, is bubbling with the enthusiasm of a youngster, his eyes fixed on the all-important Beijing Olympics gold.
“We have the capacity and the ability to win all the matches, the final very much included,” said the star inside-right of yesteryears, also known for his coaching and training acumen, in an interview with Arab News here yesterday. Elaborating, he said the forward-line enjoyed sufficiently attacking flair with a lot of speed and dribble good enough to move around and create goal-scoring gaps.
The middle-line, he pointed out, was equally strong and well-oiled and made a special mention of Mohammed Saqlain as a sound and reliable center half. He was also full of praise for goalkeeper Salman, putting him on a par with stars of the 80s Shahid and Moeen.
“ I won’t be surprised if we emerge champions, as we have done in the past many a time,’’ said the man from Lahore who started his career in 1960 as an Olympian and turned coach in 1972 and went on to win laurels for the country and himself.
Born and bred in Jullundher before migrating to Pakistan at the age of 11, Zakauddin had no hesitation to acknowledge that hockey here in Beijing has lost a bit of sheen because of India’s absence. He feels sad to note the Indian contingent in the Olympic Village, almost next to Pakistan’s, is without hockey players.” We are nobody without hockey when it comes to Olympics. So is the case with once-invincible India. Hockey remains our sign of identity’, he said rather ruefully — a reference to the stark fact that the two countries, known for human resources, had barely won any Olympic gold outside hockey. According to Zakauddin, the populated Olympic Village is dominated by Asian flair, even though the US and other Western nations remain medal winners.
“ The fact that this is the first Olympics to be hosted by China, the world’s largest country in terms of population busy spreading wings in all fields to become a super power, has made the difference.’’ He doesn’t blame astro-turf which has replaced the natural grass, as do many experts, for the decline of hockey in Pakistan and India and holds responsible those at the helm of affairs . “I shall be the last person to play the blame game. We are paying the price for our incompetence. As simple as that.’
Dhyan Chand, who was reportedly adored and adorned by Hitler during the 1936 Olympics for his stickwork artistry, remains Zakauddin’s choicest all-team hockey great.
He paid tribute to the genius in a film made on him recently in Chandigarh. “ You Indians better call him Devta.’’
He was pleased to know that Dhayanchand was re-enacted in Muscat recently as a mark of tribute to the extra-ordinary man from Jhansi. .” Dhyanchand symbolised the magic of stickwork missing these days.’’
Zakku,as he is called affectionately by friends and kin, recently went to Jullundher in search of the house where he was born. “ I could not, though hard I tried. I enjoyed walking in the streets carrying imprints of my childhood,” said the scion of a well-known Khawaja family with a touch of nostalgia.
Defying age and other oddities of life, his catchphrase is “Never say die’. His catchword is ‘self-discipline’, which he imbibed as a police officer. “ I remain young at heart’, quipped the celebrated grandfather, who retired as DIG, during the candid conversation conducted after what seemed like ages. (We were last together in Los Angeles in 1984, when Pakistan won the Olympic hockey gold).
