It was nothing but horrendous and shocking when Pakistan ended as woondenspoonists at the 12-nation hockey World Cup, although a pathetic show was expected given the sorry state of the sport in the country.

Finishing the sport's showpiece event at 12th spot, the worst showing by Pakistan in the history of the World Cup, was indeed something which not even the experts anticipated. Before the Cup if anybody believed that the team would finish among the top four or five teams, they were clearly living in la la land. Pakistan were bound to be doomed owing to maladministration.

After a horrific and unexpected start with a 4-1 loss against arch-rivals India, Pakistan seemed to be on right track with a slim 2-1 victory over world number three Spain. It was merely a flash in the pan as the green shirts slumped to an abyss of humiliation when they lost 5-2 to England before the ignominious 4-3 defeat against 13th-ranked South Africa. Pakistan finished the pool matches with yet another loss, this time when Australia squeezed past them 2-1. To rub salt to the wounds and wrap up the grand event in the most pathetic style, Pakistan were beaten 3-2 by hockey babes Canada on a golden goal in the 11th and 12th position classification match.

On the inaugural day, in what was billed as a potentially explosive encounter against India, Pakistan were outclassed, leaving hockey aficionados back home in a state of shock. While the forwards were virtually non-existent in the game, half-line and defence was in disarray, making it a completely disjointed lot which emphasised on European rather than attacking Asian style. Strangely, Pakistan's European-style strategy was against an outfit that was playing real neat, attacking hockey.

For many, 2-1 win against Spain might be a “big achievement”, but it was, in fact, earned not because Pakistan were superior, but rather due to a lacklustre performance by the Spaniards. As for England, they proved tough rivals as expected and Pakistan failed to take the challenge. Interestingly, Pakistan were the second most experienced team after the Netherlands with an average of 120.8 international caps but lost to South Africa, who were the least experienced side with an average of only 32 caps.

Another embarrassing fact which was hardly reported by the media was a dressing down of Pakistan’s manager Asif Bajwa by World Cup tournament director Ken Read for allowing half-back Muhammad Irfan to wear unapproved equipment against India following which he was suspended for a match against Spain. While Asif later apologized for the offence it must be noted that he was also warned by the tournament director earlier at the BDO Champions Challenge in 2009 when the same protective gear was used by one of his players.

But the question is: was Pakistan really expected to regain lost glory? The answer is an emphatic no. The team was not expected to perform any miracle under the present setup of Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) officials. There are myriads of reasons for being so pessimistic or rather one should say realistic.

It was easy to predict Pakistan's humiliation at the World Cup if one takes a cursory glance over how the hockey affairs are being run and by whom. The current setup, after Asif Bajwa took over the reins from Khalid Mahmood as PHF secretary and Qasim Zia became the federation's chief, replacing Zafarullah Jamali in 2008, is virtually like a circus. Although this hockey circus has been a feature for the past 10 years or so, the present set of officials have opted to follow their predecessors.

Both Qasim and Asif, who were looking for quick fix solutions, blundered when they invited over-the-hill and undisciplined veterans – penalty corner exponent Sohail Abbas and left-half Waseem Ahmad – for last year’s Asia Cup. Waseem's inclusion came even as he had a hamstring injury and hardly attended the training camp. The gamble backfired as both players underperformed, Sohail Abbas  scoring just one out of 14 penalty corners.

Welcoming Sohail and Waseem back into the fold was not only a monstrous gaffe as they were a spent force but also because of their history of ditching the national side and preferring to play in foreign leagues. Both were slapped a life ban by Jamali after they refused to join 2006 Doha Asian Games training camp and rather chose to play in league in Europe. Jamali had later back-pedalled and invited the two players, while present PHF officials also opted to promote player power by recalling them for Asia Cup. What did Sohail do at the World Cup: just two goals off dozens of penalty corners. He may have crossed 300-goal record, but a true legend scores highest at World Cups, when the pressure is on, like Dutchman Paul Litjens did when he netted 15 goals in 1978. Sohail considers his failure as “Allah's will.” If one takes his word then where comes the skill? Sohail is now emphasising on having a foreign coach. If he had that premise in his mind, why did he play under a local coach at the World Cup?

The current PHF hierarchy has been eating humble pie since it has taken over charge, committing follies that have always led to humiliation. For instance, PHF hired controversial former Pakistan goalkeeper Mansoor Ahmad as PHF academy coordinator. The goalie, an ex-Pakistan Customs officer, was suspended as junior team coach about nine years ago and later sacked by the then PHF when he was arrested for stealing silver in huge quantity from a Customs warehouse, a charge on which he was later convicted by court. In an obvious retaliatory move, PHF later slapped a life ban on Mansoor and former coach Naveed Alam when both levelled human trafficking charges against secretary Asif Bajwa who spent more time clearing his name in front of National Assembly's standing committee on sport, then on hockey.

PHF also brought in Muhammad Shafiq and Farhat Khan as selectors despite their violent behaviour and history of misconduct. While Shafiq was involved in beating Customs team player Naeem at a local event, Farhat had been involved in several incidents of misconduct which includes rash behaviour against team officials and vanishing from a national camp. Rana Mujahid, being a close associate of Asif, was given several hats to wear. The former player, who was suspended for a match at a local tournament in 2001 for using profanity against umpire and field jury, is a selector, director, and secretary of Punjab Hockey Association.

Appointing former players Kamran Ashraf, Danish Kaleem and Ahmad Alam in senior and junior teams as coaches was yet another faux pas for they do not have required credentials. Then came the sacking of Kamran as senior team coach and axing of forward Rehan Butt from the squad after both attended launching ceremony of an academy by Olympian Tahir Zaman against whom Asif has a grudge. Bringing former Pakistan goalkeeper Shahid Ali Khan as coach was the beginning of the disaster which ended in a fiasco at the World Cup.

The level of Asif and Shahid's casualness could be well gauged from the scandal at Champions Challenge in Salta, Argentina, where team players were involved in drinking and partying. Like PHF, the media also created hype after Pakistan's insignificant achievements at second-rate events such as the second place finish at Champions Challenge and Asia Cup. Qualification for the World Cup was treated as if the team had won the coveted title. When such has been the state of hockey in Pakistan, falling of the team by the wayside was a foregone conclusion.

While Qasim has sacked the team management and selection committee, he has the audacity to stick to his post along with his secretary. The PHF chief, who is a leader of Pakistan People's Party in Punjab and serves hockey on part-time basis, says nobody except the PHF Congress could remove him and Asif. In this case, he should ask for a vote of confidence from the house to prove he is still indispensable and invincible after such a horrific showing.

The fact is if heads should roll, then it should start from the top instead of making team management and selection committee a scapegoat. It does not imply that team officials and selectors were angels. They should indeed be shown the door, but Qasim should have the guts to leave before agitation against him gains momentum. If the team management failed or selection was unfair, then it was Qasim who appointed those officials. If Asif has been involved in wrongdoings, it was Qasim who always defended him at every forum. After New Delhi debacle, he now talks of "rebuilding" the team for Asian Games in Guangzhou. One wonders from where Qasim would borrow a magic wand to rebuild a shattered outfit in just eight months. Now where is the Ministry of Sports which had sacked Khalid Mahmood and illegally "appointed" Asif the secretary barely two months before 2008 Olympics? Why it is tight-lipped and a silent spectator after the most pathetic showing?

As for team's announcement of “retirement” it is good manoeuvre to save their skins. The retirement by the young players is to decrease the intensity of a ticking off on their arrival, while the seniors already know that World Cup was their last outing.

Apart from disappointment among the hockey buffs and sharp reaction in the media which is quite natural, a vicious campaign and tongue-lashing has started by some Olympians against team management. Ironically, Hassan Sardar, who was sacked along with the entire selection committee never announced to step down until Qasim took the drastic step. Media reports suggested that Hassan had already decided to quit before being shown the door. But it is certainly a face-saving effort as the writing on the wall was pretty clear. If he was disturbed over the performance, he should have called it quits soon after defeat against South Africa. He was lashing out at the senior players till March 7 and indicated the radical changes were on the cards but never hinted about his decision to quit. If senior and ageing players let the nation down, they were selected by Hassan and his colleagues, making him accountable too.

Another Olympian, who was not nominated for FIH Rules Board and is part of PHF being the member of Executive Board drew the dagger for team officials' blood. Ironically, such incendiary rhetoric by these Olympians is, in fact, to make room for themselves as they never asked the PHF president to call it a day. They do not want to bite the hand which might feed them.

Ideally speaking, it is time for Qasim & Co to make an unceremonious exit as a small penalty. But the question remains would it help Pakistan lift its sagging hockey fortunes? Jamali was also ousted after a venomous campaign by the Olympians. But did it yield any positive result? Some opportunists may answer in affirmative but the pragmatic elements would not agree. Qasim may have brought millions of rupees in PHF's kitty, but what Pakistan hockey needs more are committed administrators like Air Marshall Nur Khan and late Brig Manzoor Hussain Atif. Since Nur Khan is not ready to become a part of this mess and Atif is no more with us, one can hardly see a ray of hope at the end of the tunnel.