KARACHI: Michel van den Heuvel was on Saturday appointed as Pakistan’s national hockey coach, becoming the third Dutchman to be chosen for the job in 16 years.Van den Heuvel, who quit as Holland’s coach after this year’s World Cup in New Delhi, will begin his stint from Monday (tomorrow) when he will land in Karachi to supervise a training camp ahead of a European sojourn which begins from July 7. Pakistan will play a series of Test matches against France, Spain and Holland during the 15-day tour.Pakistan are hoping that the Dutchman will help revive their glory days by putting the team back on track ahead of the 2012 Olympic Games in London. The Greenshirts have won three Olympic titles but have returned empty-handed from the last three Games. Their last Olympic gold came way back in 1984 in Los Angeles.Before the London Games, Pakistan hockey officials are hoping that under the Dutch coach their team will show some signs of revival at the Commonwealth Games in India and the Asian Games in China.“Nobody is expecting miracles (from the coach) but one is hoping that there will be some significant progress,” Asif Bajwa, the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) secretary told ‘The News’ on Saturday.There has been some criticism over Van den Heuvel’s appointment with some critics suggesting that he was sacked as Holland’s coach after failing to guide the Dutch to the World Cup final in New Delhi. Holland finished with a bronze there.“Nobody should doubt his credentials,” said Bajwa, a former Olympian. “Van den Heuvel is top notch coach and has spent 15 years with leading teams. It’s totally untrue that he was sacked by Holland. It’s just that his contract ended after the World Cup.”Bajwa said that instead of criticising the Dutchman, all stakeholders should back him to get best possible results.“We should realize the fact that in the current situation nobody is willing to come to Pakistan,” he said. “Van den Heuvel has taken a brave decision and he should be welcomed here. Personally, I’m confident that his presence will really benefit out team.”Before Van den Heuvel, Pakistan offered the job to German master coach Paul Lissek and Australian Barry Dancer. Both turned down the offer because of security concerns.Bajwa said that Van den Heuvel had no such concerns. “But we will take care of his security,” he said.Bajwa said that Pakistan hockey needs all possible support to bounce back after a dismal last-place finish in the World Cup.“Coaching has been the only grey area for us and we needed stability in it,” said Bajwa whose PHF fired Olympian Shahid Ali Khan as Pakistan coach after the World Cup debacle. “Hopefully Van den Heuvel will help us bridge that gap but only time will prove whether he is a good choice for us.”Van den Heuvel comes in as Pakistan’s third foreign coach, succeeding his compatriots Hans Jorritsma (1994) and Roelant Oltmans (2000). Under Jorritsma, Pakistan won the 1994 World Cup in Sydney but Oltmans’ stint proved unsuccessful as under him Pakistan failed to even qualify for the 2004 Olympics in Athens.