Chayon, Pintu join hockey coaching panel

Former national stars Mamunur Rahman Chayon and Imran Hasan Pintu have joined the Bangladesh national hockey team's coaching panel ahead of the Asian Games, as the Bangladesh Hockey Federation (BHF) aims to modernise their setup.

Chayon, one of the country's finest former drag-flickers, returns as a penalty corner specialist coach, while former captain and midfielder Pintu has been appointed as the video analyst. Both coaches officially joined the ongoing national training camp in Dhaka on Thursday.

"The federation is trying to align our coaching staff with top international teams," Chayon said on his appointment. "We want to pass on everything we have to help the players improve."

Chayon, who retired from international hockey in 2018, added that working with the squad feels natural as he shares a long history with senior players like Rashel Mahmud Jimmy, as well as German head coach Gerhard Peter Rach, whom he has known since 2010.

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Addressing the team's shift towards European tactics, Chayon noted, "A hockey team cannot fully transform in just two months, but the players are making a real effort to adapt to the European style. We hope to master as much as possible in the time we have."

Pintu, who recently served as a youth head coach for a German club, stressed the vital role of technology in modern match preparation. 

"Video analysis is essential in modern hockey," Pintu said. "When players see their mistakes on screen, it is twice as effective for their development as just playing on the pitch. My focus is to help correct those errors so they are not repeated during matches."

The local camp serves as preparation for an intensive training tour in Germany. However, the squad’s departure has been temporarily delayed while the team awaits German visas.