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Currently serving a seven year ban for spot fixing alongside Mohammad Amir and Salman Butt, Asif speaking exclusively to PakPassion.net, fondly recalled how Woolmer said that he would play regularly for Pakistan after watching him bowl in just one first class match in Pakistan.
by Saj Sadiq
20 March 2011
Banned Pakistan pace bowler Mohammad Asif, has paid glowing tributes to former coach, the Late Bob Woolmer, on the fourth anniversary of his death.
Currently serving a seven year ban for spot fixing alongside Mohammad Amir and Salman Butt, Asif speaking exclusively to PakPassion.net, fondly recalled how Woolmer said that he would play regularly for Pakistan after watching him bowl in just one first class match in Pakistan.
"Bob watched me just once in domestic cricket, and said to me that he rated me very highly and that I would be bowling for Pakistan under his tutorship. He said that he thought of me as a good bowler and that he would help me become one of the world's best bowlers. He (Woolmer) stated to me that he felt that I had all the basics to be a great bowler, and that we could work together and make that happen."
28 year old Asif, who has appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport against his seven year ban and is awaiting confirmation of the hearing date, further added that working with an esteemed coach like Woolmer was an honour and something that he will always treasure.
"Working with Bob was an absolute honour for me. To be taught and coached the finer arts of cricket by such a fantastic person and coach was something that I will always cherish and I would just like to pay my personal tribute to Bob Woolmer. I had a lot of respect for Bob as a person and as a professional, and I believe that he did a fantastic job for Pakistan cricket and took it to unforeseen levels during his time as coach. He was a great man – humble and approachable. He was always available for advice and help.
Woolmer had a close relationship with many of the players due to his tremendous man management skills and Asif was certainly one of the players who enjoyed Woolmer's company, and felt that he improved as a cricketer under the former England and Kent batsman's tenure.
"There are so many fond memories of Bob that will always stay with me, but one thing that I will always appreciate is that Bob never put cricket before religion when we prayed. He respected the players during prayer time and realised the importance of religion to many of the players. Bob's biggest strength though was his ability to get the best out of each of the players. He knew almost instantaneously what individual player's attitudes were and knew how to get the best out of us and was like a father figure to me and many of my team mates."
Currently serving a seven year ban for spot fixing alongside Mohammad Amir and Salman Butt, Asif speaking exclusively to PakPassion.net, fondly recalled how Woolmer said that he would play regularly for Pakistan after watching him bowl in just one first class match in Pakistan.
"Bob watched me just once in domestic cricket, and said to me that he rated me very highly and that I would be bowling for Pakistan under his tutorship. He said that he thought of me as a good bowler and that he would help me become one of the world's best bowlers. He (Woolmer) stated to me that he felt that I had all the basics to be a great bowler, and that we could work together and make that happen."
28 year old Asif, who has appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport against his seven year ban and is awaiting confirmation of the hearing date, further added that working with an esteemed coach like Woolmer was an honour and something that he will always treasure.
"Working with Bob was an absolute honour for me. To be taught and coached the finer arts of cricket by such a fantastic person and coach was something that I will always cherish and I would just like to pay my personal tribute to Bob Woolmer. I had a lot of respect for Bob as a person and as a professional, and I believe that he did a fantastic job for Pakistan cricket and took it to unforeseen levels during his time as coach. He was a great man – humble and approachable. He was always available for advice and help.
Woolmer had a close relationship with many of the players due to his tremendous man management skills and Asif was certainly one of the players who enjoyed Woolmer's company, and felt that he improved as a cricketer under the former England and Kent batsman's tenure.
"There are so many fond memories of Bob that will always stay with me, but one thing that I will always appreciate is that Bob never put cricket before religion when we prayed. He respected the players during prayer time and realised the importance of religion to many of the players. Bob's biggest strength though was his ability to get the best out of each of the players. He knew almost instantaneously what individual player's attitudes were and knew how to get the best out of us and was like a father figure to me and many of my team mates."