Lahore, 9 April : ” Argentine’s Ambassador to Pakistan Rodoflo J. Martin-Saravia has said that Argentina have the honor of winning World Cup twice and any help from this gigantic soccer country would go a long way in boosting the game in Pakistan. He assured that Argentina is ready to help Pakistan Football Federation which will promote soccer in Pakistan. The game plan and techniques of both teams are different and Pakistani footballers will learn a lot from Argentine way of playing as currently they are ninth out of 208 countries attached FIFA.” this is stated by Pakistan Football Federation (PFF)’s President Makhdoom Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat after meeting with Ambassador at Islamabad. PFF Secretary General Lt.Col ® Ahmed Yar Khan Lodhi also accompanied him.
Both discussed a road map for the development of Pakistan football and exchange of visits of men, women teams besides courses of refereeing, coaches and administrators, besides arranging training tours for the national squad. PFF would also arrange training tours for its age-group teams to South American nation, which would also raise the level of the sport in Pakistan.
“It is good to see PFF Chief is going all out for PFF. I come to know it was first time in PFF’s 63-year history that a PFF President spared his precious time from his hectic assignments, and visited Argentine Embassy to seek their help for football promotion in Pakistan,” said Rodoflo.
“Pakistan and Argentina signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for culture a few years back and the PFF will get support from South Americans under the same initiative,” said Lodhi who added Ambassador Rodoflo has given us a positive input over the development and promotion of football in Pakistan and the Argentine government would provide a few good football coaches to Pakistan. He asserted that if Pakistan manages to get Argentine coaches it will be of great help to PFF for the promotion of football in the country.
Rodoflo has lauded the invaluable contributions of Faisal Saleh Hayat for the promotion of football in Pakistan which is evident from the conduct of unprecedented football activities since he took over PFF in 2003. ”Pakistan’s record four gold in SA Games football history is not mere achievement,’ said Argentine hoping “I firmly believe that PFF would continue its journey in right direction under the leadership of Faisal”.
Ambassador also congratulated Faisal for getting berth in World Cup South Africa 2010 Committee for adjudicating Disciplinary Cases of mega 32-team show as Member of FIFA Disciplinary Committee detailed for this historic mega event.
Faisal praised the incredible soccer capacity of nation of Diego Maradona and said good luck to the Ambassador of the nation that were World Champs in 1978 and 1986. He also hoped that Javier Mascherano-led outfit will show their real class in Group-B matches of World Cup 2010 against Nigeria, South Korea and Greece at Johannesburg and Polokwane.