Beijing: Pakistan’s Saqlain Muhammad is desperate to shed his image as a spoilt brat as he makes his Olympic debut after missing the previous two editions due to bad behaviour.
Charges of misconduct and violent outbursts, which left his coaches frustrated and sent rivals scurrying for cover, have overshadowed the brilliant stickwork of the temperamental midfielder.
Saqlain, 30, wants to make amends and is now the pivot of the three-time Olympic
champions looking for their first major title since the 1994 World Cup. “We are good enough to win the gold medal and I am totally focussed on ensuring Pakistan does well in Beijing,” he said.
That the experienced and wily Saqlain is part of the Olympics should itself be a cause of celebration for him and his team-mates.
He was first picked for the Sydney Games in 2000 as a promising 22-year-old, but omitted from the squad at the last minute by then coach Islahuddin Siddiqui for unspecified charges of misconduct. Four years later, Pakistan’s Dutch coach Roelant Oltmans threw him out before the team left for Athens when he assaulted team-mate Adnan Ashraf during the pre-Olympic camp.
Saqlain, however, learnt nothing from what many would regard a humiliating experience as he continued to flirt with danger. AGENCIES