Rashid Junior - Legends of Hockey
Written by PHF   

A crack center-forward of his era (1967-76), Rashid Junior was responsible for many a Pakistan triumph, none more cherished than the '68 Mexico Olympics.

Not that it was the last big Once in which he had a major say in Pakistan’s fortunes, for he had a significant role in the Greenshirt's first Grand Slam, the '68 Olympic gold, the '70 Asiad gold and subsequently the '71World Cup triumph.


But the '68 Olympic was the time when he was new ,and he needed to prove to himself and to his many detractors that he was class material .In the Pakistan style of play, where positioning has overwhelming importance, Rashid Junior's induction as spearhead, had many a critic.

Those who lifted an eyebrow on Junior being made the centre-forward thought that shifting him from inside right, the position he wanted to make his own in the image of his elder brother Abdul Hamid Hamidi, was not a brilliant idea. Junior left all of them with egg on their faced with three goals against Netherlands in the opening match at Mexico.

That was merely the beginning, he was to dazzle many an opposition with his lightning strikes in the years to come.

Rashid Junior
Rashid Junior
In 1993-1995 he was appointed to manage the Pakistan team. Which was for a great part managed by Khawaja Zakauddin and coached by Hans Jorritsma,during its most successful year in a decade, regaining the champions Trophy and the World Cup? Junior was made to leave on a sore note when the team lost to India in the '95 SAF Games by a whopping 5-2 margin.

Source: www.phf.com.pk