Lahore, 1 November: Pakistan WAPDA approved Muhammad Habib as qualified coach and he will take seat in the remaining 14 matches of Pakistan WAPDA in Pakistan Premier Football League 2010. WAPDA is currently on top of the tree with 41 points in 16 matches and their 17th match will be on Tuesday, 2 November at Peshawar against Pakistan Air Force. WAPDA managed 43-11 goal counts so far.
Habib is one of the successful coaches working for Asian Football Confederation (AFC) AID-27 Financial Assistance Scheme under directives of Pakistan Football Federation (PFF)’s President Makhdoom Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat.
“All teams must put an AFC qualified coach on team bench during the matches of ongoing Pakistan Premier Football League. It came to the notice of PFF that some participating teams are not playing under the true spirit of the game rules and regulations. It is good to see WAPDA appointed Habib, “B” Certificate Football Coaching holder as qualified coach of organization’s football team ” this is stated by PFF’s Director Operation Wg. Cmdr (R) Pervaiz Saeed Mir.
Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) has ordered all the sixteen participants of Pakistan Premier Football League 2010 that only FIFA / AFC qualified coaches will be allowed to sit on Dugout (or team’s bench area) as coach, assistant coach and goalkeeper coach.
The Clause No. 9 (a) titling “Team Bench and Technical Area” and 23 titling “Principles for Registration of Officials” of PPFL 2010 – Technical Regulations, says only FIFA/AFC qualified coaches are allowed to sit on team benches as Coach and Assistant Coaches.
‘It is surprise to note that some dugouts/team benches are without any qualified coach and team is playing without coach which is contradictory to the clauses in PPFL Regulations and game spirit. All teams are informed that playing the 240-match show without qualified coach is not allowed otherwise disciplinary action will be taken against the default team and 25% match bonus will be deducted from team each match.,” said Mir who added that all Match Commissioners must ensure either team bench is with any qualified coach or not.
Muhammad Habib coached National U16 team that appeared in Group-A of the 14th Asian U16 Football Championship from 19-27 October 2009 at Malaysia. Habib showed fine dedication and ability as coach in recent years and he rose to limelight when he propelled Pakistan to smashing 4-2 win over Kyrgyzstan on 30 October 2007 at Doha’s Al Arabi Stadium during AFC U16 Championship.
It will be Habib’s first assignment in 2009 as Head Coach of a Pakistani age-limit team. He was also coach when Qatar hosted the last edition of same event two years ago.Having assisted Akhtar Mohiuddin in SAFF Championship 2008 at Male, Habib, 40, also received cash prize from PFF Chief on 30 June 2007 as Assistant Coach of Pakistan U13 team for glorious display in AFC U-13 Festival of Football held at Bangladesh Institute of Sports (BIS) at Savar, Dhaka (Bangladesh).
Faisalabad-born Habib used to play for Pioneers FC and LESCO in WAPDA Inter Unit and domestic soccer and represented Punjab in National U21 Championship 1991 and National Championship at Peshawar 1995. He also represented WAPDA and Wohaib FC from 1989-2004 in National Championships. He was also head coach of PMC Club Athletico Faisalabad in PPFL from 2008 till 2009.
Habib completed AFC ‘C” and “B” Certificate Football Coaching Course at Lahore in year 2004 and 2006 respectively and later on attended FIFA Special Coaching Course 2004 under Jimmy Shoulder (Wales), International Olympic Committee (IOC) Solidarity Technical Course 2008 under Erich Rutemöller (Germany) and two PFF Special Refresher Coaching Course under Klaus Stark (Germany) 2007 and George Kottan (Austria) 2009.
Habib, who attended National Camps of Barcelona Olympics 1992 and SAG 1993, is among most successful coaches, who are working under Asian Football Confederation (AFC)’s AID-27 Financial Assistance Scheme, winning back-to-back gold during National U16 Championship at Khanewal 2007 and Lahore 2009. Earlier this year, he lifted winning trophy for Punjab by winning third National U21 Championship at Islamabad. Habib was also runner-up with Faisalabad Whites during 19th National U18 Championship 2007