International experts appointed to strengthen national teams and develop a world-class coaching system
The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has announced a high-profile international coaching panel as part of its ambitious plan to restore Pakistan’s status among the world’s leading hockey nations. The newly appointed experts will oversee the country’s high-performance programme and help modernize coaching, player development, and sports science across all national levels.
According to a statement issued by the federation, the appointments will become effective once all contractual formalities have been completed.
The newly formed coaching panel will be led by renowned Dutch coach Herman Kruis, who has been appointed as the Overall National Hockey Coaching Advisor and Head Coach. Joining him is David Dwyer, who will serve as the Fitness and High-Performance Coach.
The federation has also appointed Adnan Zakir as the Junior Talent Identification Coach, Bob Johan Veldhof as the Goalkeeping Coach, and Chris Bowen as the Sports Psychologist.
The PHF stated that the foreign coaching staff will play a central role in guiding Pakistan’s senior, junior, under-18, youth, and women’s national hockey programmes. Their responsibilities will extend beyond preparing teams for international competitions, focusing instead on building a sustainable, world-class high-performance structure capable of producing consistent long-term success.
In addition to working directly with national teams, the coaching experts will collaborate closely with local coaches. The programme includes technical workshops, practical training sessions, coaching education initiatives, and knowledge-sharing activities designed to improve Pakistan’s domestic coaching standards and create a lasting development pathway.
PHF President Mohyuddin Ahmad Wani described the appointments as a significant milestone in the federation’s efforts to rebuild Pakistan hockey from the grassroots to the elite level.
He said the federation had brought together internationally recognized specialists to strengthen every aspect of the sport, including player development, sports science, coaching education, and high-performance systems.
He added that the experts would not only prepare national squads for major international events but would also mentor Pakistani coaches and help establish a sustainable coaching framework that would benefit the game for years to come.
Wani reaffirmed the federation’s commitment to restoring Pakistan’s historic position among the world’s top hockey nations. He expressed confidence that combining international expertise with local talent development would create a stronger foundation for future success and help Pakistan compete consistently at the highest level of international hockey.