KARACHI: Pakistan football team coach Tariq Lutfi is planning to arrange practice games for his team against different departmental teams, as a foreign tour could not be made possible ahead of the World Cup qualifiers against Bangladesh.
“Foreign training tour could have been much better for us but unfortunately it could not be arranged in spite of hectic effort from the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF). In order to compensate for it, we have decided to shift the camp from Lahore to Islamabad on June 9, Lutfi told ‘The News’ on Sunday.
“There we will try to arrange around half-a-dozen matches against different departmental teams and one against Combined XI of the different outfits preparing for the Premier League.”
He revealed that 26 players have so far reported for the camp, while Shakir Lashari, Mohammad Qasim and Rehan Muneer are yet to report due to different reasons.
Lutfi revealed that foreign-based players including Zeeshan Rehman, Atif Bahsir Qureshi, Adnan Farooq Ahmed, Shabbir Khan and Adam Karim have been advised to join the camp in Islamabad till June 20.
“I will meet with the PFF top officials on Monday and will enquire about the availability of these players,” he said.
Zesh Rehman, Atif Bashir and Adnan Farooq are the permanent members, while Shabir Khan will be included if he is available.
About striker Ahmed Akber Khan, who belongs to Australia and is currently in the camp Lutfi said: “He looks technically sound. But he is still not under consideration as we will closely watch him during the next ten days and then his fate will be decided.”
Why not PFF call to Essa khan.The PFF call to Essa for the country,he is must for team if the combination is good then the result is also change for God sack think for country
If the PFF do’t agree to Essa khan I agree them for playing for country not for him self. I talk with them I agree them if the management want.
New football coach within two weeks
Sports ReporterBangladesh Football Federation is likely to appoint a foreign coach before the national team’s World Cup pre-qualifying match against Pakistan at home on June 29 as the game’s governing body have all but given up hope on Croat coach Robert Rubcic’s return.
“We have so far failed to make any direct contact with Rubcic (Monday) so that we have almost closed the chapter of Rubcic. We are however hopeful about roping in a foreign coach before our home match against Pakistan,” said Badal Roy after a meeting of the National Team Management Committee (NTMC) yesterday.
Rubcic left Bangladesh on June 2 without prior notice and the NTMC chairman, Badal Roy communicated with Rubcic’s agent but failed to reach the coach, who was not paid his last four months’ salaries.
It has also been learnt that Rubcic appealed to FIFA to get his unpaid wages but the BFF officials informed that they have yet to get any notice from the world football’s governing body even though they are ready to clear Rubcic’s wages.
Hasanuzzaman Khan Bablu, a member of NTMC though refuted the ground of such complaint from Rubcic, saying: “We were prepared to clear his (Rubcic’s) wages, but could not since he left here without letting us know and without resigning his post. Then what could be his reason for complaint?”
Roy informed that they have short-listed two European coaches for the national team both of whom have better coaching profile than Rubcic.
The NTMC also decided to start the national camp from June 22 as most of national team’s players, who play for Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club, will be available for the camp after that date. Assistant coaches Golam Zilani and Mahbubur Rahman Roxy will conduct the training cam until a new coach is appointed.
Accepting the blame for not giving enough time to prepare the national team ahead of pre-qualifiers, Roy said that some unplanned fixtures, nation-wide strikes from political parties and inclement weather left little time for the national team to prepare.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh-born Danish booter Jamal Bhuiyan arrived in Dhaka on Sunday after his call-up for the 27-member preliminary squad earlier.
“We will introduce him tomorrow (Tuesday) to the coaches. We have planned to arrange training for Jamal with the clubs’ as we are yet to start the national camp,” said Roy.
NTMC member Imtiaz Sultan Jonny said, “We will get an idea about how talented he is after seeing those training