bob woolmer hits back

Pak doctor ignored for criticising Woolmer
KARACHI: A Pakistani doctor-cum-physiotherapist has not had his job position with the Pakistan’s second-string side renewed by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) until now after he lodged a written complaint over the working methods of senior team coach Bob Woolmer and trainers Murray Stevenson and Grant Compton.




JUST TO PUT THE RECORD STRAIGHT



There is no such person as a doctor cum physiotherapist; you are either a doctor or a physiotherapist. Dr Ehsan Umer wrote a lengthy report, plagiarizing medical manuals to try and impress. Unfortunately by writing this report he shot himself in the foot showing that his knowledge was faulty. For example he described a foot injury as “Fatal”!!



Umar Ahsan, who worked with the Pakistan Under-19 team against Sri Lanka and last month was also attached with the Pakistan Academy team that played against the South Africans, was not announced for any position on Monday by the PCB which announced the team and management for the forthcoming home series against Australian A.



Sources in the Board said this could be probably because Ahsan, after the South Africa series, wrote a letter to the chairman of the Board expressing concern over the working methods of Woolmer and his support staff including the two foreign trainers.



I had very little to do with the Academy team except to encourage them, I left the Coach Sahbi to work with them as we had a training camp at the time



Trainers Stevenson and Compton and physiotherapist Darren Lifsun, are all South Africans and have all been appointed by the PCB on the recommendations of Woolmer.



Murray Stevenson (Biokineticist) and Darryn Lifson (Physiotherapist) carry the best degrees in their respective roles. Murray Stevenson did not work with the Academy team at all, Darryn Lifson was called in to treat the Academy team because Dr Ahsan was unable to handle the injuries.



The source said Ahsan, who had completed a physical education course from Canada because of his interest in sports, had raised serious questions about the working methods of the foreign staff whom he observed with the Pakistan Academy team against South Africa and also with the Pakistan probables at the NCA in Lahore.



"Ahsan wrote in his letter to the Board that the South African support staff was overworking the players and making them go through unnecessary and extra exercises while he also made some critical comments about the working methods of Woolmer," the source revealed.



All players were weighed and monitored every day by the support staff, checking there levels of hydration. No players were over trained at any stage. Dr Ahsan has absolutely no experience of this otherwise he would have said nothing. His report is just highlights his incompetence to do this job.



Not surprisingly when the matter was brought to Woolmer and his support staff’s attention they also responded with letters to the chairman making some critical remarks about the Pakistani doctor-cum-physio in their replies.



We did not reply with a letter to the chairman, we were asked to comment on the report and did so.



Ahsan was appointed by the Board on the recommendations of Dr Sohail Saleem who is on the PCB medical panel and generally works at the NCA and Pakistan junior and A sides.



Dr Sohail was extremely embarrassed by these reports and concurs with thoughts on this matter. Dr Sohail was also criticized by this man!



Another local trainer Dr Tauseef Razzaq also faced an unceremonious exit from the Pakistan cricket scene when he made some critical remarks about the Board operations and their handling of fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar.



Young, promising wicket-keeper Amin omitted



By our correspondent



KARACHI: A young wicket-keeper, who earned praise from the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the national team coach for his performance behind the stumps, has not been considered by the national selectors for the home series against Australia A.



According to the details, some of the players who played alongside Amin-ur-Rehman in the three-day practice match between the PCB Greens and Whites in Lahore recently, were surprised on Monday to see his (Amin’s) name missing from the list of players announced for the series against Australia.



According to one player, Amin kept brilliantly in the practice game, taking five catches in one innings and one of his catches even led coach Bob Woolmer to comment that the catch snapped up should’ve been a four and was turned into an improbable catch.



Even the PCB Chairman Shaharyar Khan specially came down from his office to encourage young Amin who surprisingly —despite his brilliant keeping —has not been given a single chance by the selectors.



"It’s strange that the selectors have announced only one wicket-keeper —Zulquernain Haider —for the first two Tests against Australia when it is common that he (Zulquernain) has an injured hand and it was obvious that he was struggling in the practice match. One thought that the sensible thing to do would’ve been to also announce Amin as a stand-by," one player said.



Amin played last season for Sui Gas and many feel he is a notable talent worth looking at specially after the selectors’ decision to sideline country’s top wicket-keepers like Rashid Latif and Moin Khan.



"Unfortunately there is a lobby working in Lahore which wants to ensure that after a long time the wicket-keeper’s slot remains with players from Punjab," a Karachi official alleged.









“I was extremely impressed by Amin U Rehman as a wicket-keeper and he caught some outstanding catches, unfortunately he scored 0 and more importantly his fitness levels were well below the standards set by the National team, I spoke to Amin and said please get fitter and we will have another look at you.” The level set for players U24 at this level is level 11 on the “Bleep” test Amin pulled out at Level “6”.



I can comfortable say that there is no lobby against Amin or any other Karachi player.



Haroon, Woolmer and Sabih get Pak A coaching assignments



By our correspondent



KARACHI: Chairman Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Shaharyar Khan has found an amicable solution to a standoff between his Director Cricket Operations and the national team coach over the appointment of coach of the Pakistan A team for the home series against Australia A.



‘The News’ has learnt that in some way the PCB official Saleem Altaf has got his way as his candidate for the coaching job Sabih Azhar has been appointed as assistant coach of the Pakistan A team for the home series.



"When Altaf left abroad recently to attend the International Cricket Council (ICC) meetings, he had given the name of Sabih for appointment as coach of the Pakistan A team," a source in the PCB said on Monday. "But the announcement was delayed as the national team coach Bob Woolmer had sounded off the name of former Test pacer Aaqib Javed for the same post," the source added.



"Shaharyar, after giving much thought, decided that the best solution was to appoint former Test player Haroon Rasheed as the A team coach and give Woolmer overcharge of the coaching," the source revealed.



The source said the chairman was not in favour of appointing Aaqib as coach as the latter was recently unceremoniously removed as chief coach at the National Cricket Academy by Altaf who is in the process of revamping the NCA.



However, another source didn’t rule out the possibility of Woolmer having taken the name of Aaqib publicly but having supported Haroon’s appointment behind closed doors in meetings with the chairman.



The Board is in the process of appointing five coaches including chief coach for the NCA and these posts are expected to be advertised soon through various media channels.



I am asked my opinion on who should be coach and manager of the “A” Team and the U19’s and other National teams. I certainly do not collude with any one Waheed Khan should know better when he writes.



Haroon is a highly qualified coach on the ACC course four years back he received the equivalent of a UK level $ pass, he is a test cricketer and above all a man interested in Pakistan cricket doing well. Aquib Javed too has excellent credentials and one hopes that Pakistan cricket will be able to utilize his strengths at all levels soon.



To promote conspiracy theories is below the belt journalism. We are all trying our best for Pakistan, if Dr Ahsan had been able to realize that we work as a team and not highlight his thoughts to the media then we could have helped him. All he has achieved is to show his incompetency as a cricket or sporting physician.









Bob Woolmer

A gunshot wound to the foot might become infected and that would potentially be fatal. The bullet might sever the dorsal artery and the victim could bleed to death.

Is your journalistic name Waheed Khan by any chance; we are tallking cricket related injuried, not drive by shooting injuries...

If you are not him (Waheed Khan), then you should apply for a post with 'The News', as Waheed's replacement...I think you can probably top him

BTW, the worst piece of cricket related journalism...take a bow Waheed Khan, you have managed to sink to leveles that probably didn't exist in Pakistani journalism before...now you are on par with Times Of India and other reputed Indian papers

You've gotta hand it to Woolmer...no cricket coach reaches out to the public the way he does...
its great that he gives his side (and im pretty sure the actual facts) behind these conspiracy theories....bravo Woolmer

and TSN as well...

can someone sumarize this piece in 2 sentences or something cuase its to long to read

ffs, what is Waheed Khan's problem? Bob should invite him (and a Lahori pehlwaan) for tea and talk this over.

Waheed is enjoying this new found attention and will not stop writing utter tosh because Bob will not stop clearing up matters.

F******* S****

That's the best I think one can say about it

Well it does say he shot himself in the foot right there in black and white.

As for crikeet injuries remember Shoaib's trouble with his new boots in Australia and then all that faffing about with the plaster and bandages? What if one of those blisters got infected and turned gangrenous? That can be pretty nasty

I think Wahed Khan is head and shoulders above TSN

Still not Fatal Enough...Although an open mouthed Shoaib can be quite fatal for listeners

It's time Waheed Khan was given a dose of his own medicine and TSN'ed.

and some real phainti too...I am going over in December, anyone wants to accompany me on this Holy Journey i.e. getting rid of Mr. Sourcer and providing a breather to the world

Count me in

Woolmer is cool, Dr Ehsan, the fake physio is not cool (and fired), Aqib and Haroon are cool and can hang with Woolmer, and anti-Karachi consipracies by Punjabis are false (eat your heart out Altaf Hussein).

Ok maybe thats longer than two sentences but hey, beats reading that long afsana now doesnt it?

Anyone else...I am thinking about "Booking a small Plane"

All the PPers can go togather and kick Waheed Khan around

PPers Waheed Khan

Yeah thats great fun...but what about his 'source'...who got him into all this mess?

I bet his source is the "Paan Waala" or "Gannay Ka Rass (Row)" vendor, just outside Gaddafi Stadium (PCB Headquarters)...although Babu from TSN could be playing the dangerous game of decption by being a Double Spy

We can take care of the source quite easily...I am sure many jiyalaays in Lahore will perform "postmortum" on them, totally free of charge