Alam Zeb Safi [The News]
KARACHI: Pakistan football team coach Tariq Lutfi has suggested the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) that foreign-based footballers should attend full-fledged training camps before any international assignment in order to gain top fitness.
Lutfi, who has come under fire after Pakistan’s first round exit in the FIFA World Cup qualifiers, has pointed out to the PFF in his report after the qualifier against Bangladesh that foreign-based players should be made to attend the camp well in advance before the start of any international assignment so that they could achieve their top fitness and coordination with their other teammates.
“I have advised to the PFF in my report that foreign-based footballers should be made bound to attend training camp right from the start in the future so that they could achieve their top fitness level which they normally lack in,” Lutfi confirmed to ‘The News’ in an interview on Wednesday.
England-based defender Atif Bashir and midfielder Adnan Farooq Ahmed had joined the team barely five to six days before Pakistan team’s departure for Dhaka on June 26 for the first-leg of the qualifier while defender Zeeshan Rehman arrived directly in Dhaka from Thailand where he plays league fotball a single day before the match before skipping the second-leg due to security concerns.
He lamented that his forwards were not finish properly over the two legs adding that only through hectic exposure, players could learn how to score on half-chances.
“All my players fought valiantly. We need to invest more on exposure. Game development requires patience and continuity,” Lutfi said.
To a query he said that Faisal Iqbal from Bahawalpur was made vice-captain for the qualifier as a move of the PFF to prepare young leaders for the future.
But he said that it was not sole decision of the PFF but he as a coach had full authority and he had also recommended Faisal’s name along with four others for the vice-captaincy.
Team sources told ‘The News’ that Faisal’s appointment as a vice-captain had disturbed the team’s environment and the decision had frustrated majority of the players.
He made it clear that he is purely on the disposal of the PFF and he will continue his job as a coach on the willingness of the federation.
He called for making more investment in football so that the domestic structure could be boosted.
“I believe we need to invest more in our domestic league. If we insert professional players from foreign countries into our Premier League and boost up the privileges for the players playing in the league then I believe that it will bring a revolution in our football,” Lutfi added.
The irony here is that the only foreign player who attended the full camp didn’t even get to play a full half of football in those two matches!! LOL!!
Ahmed Akbar was the best winger at our disposal and the idiot Lutfi favored Kaleemullah instead, who has not assisted or scored for Pakistan in 14 caps.
I think its safe to say that PFF and local coaches have a new scapegoat to blame for their own incompetence and inherent ‘naaqis karkardagi’: FOREIGN PLAYERS!
You will never see Lutfi blaming his own horrible tactical decisions and squad selections for the loss! No sir…the blame lies on the 2-3 players who actually performed their best in these matches just because they are not from some sarkari idara!
Ahmed Akber Khan was not even given the appropriate playing time. The likes of Irfan Khan and Yousuf Butt had attended much of their training camp but they were horribly mistreated by Lutfi’s cronies and forced them to leave over ‘lack of commitment’ excuses!
The only player who probably does deserve stick for not showing up for at least a week is Zesh Rehman. This arriving on same day as match mantra must stop! He has already wasted 6 years of almost ZERO international caps with this so if he really wants to help Pakistan he must show the commitment levels of Atif and Adnan!
How the hell can he say this.. is PFF blind, didn’t they see that the only players that played well were the foreign players…
I don’t give a shit about what Lutfi says…. he should resign & he is not the right person to take our National Team’s responsibility…
what a joke
Is kaminay Lutfi ne Kaleem Ullah jese chawal player ko chance dia,,I saw the whole game,and the idiot couldnt even manage to control the ball and his passes were all going out of the ground.Ahmed Akbar Khan (a foreign based player ) attended the full training camp and he was only played for a maximum of 15 minutes in two games..Kaleem Ullah was given priority over him…What a waste.. LUtfi the Basterd should blame him self for his shitti tactics and unawareness of International rules regarding football. Why the hell did he choose the sluggish Jaffar khan. he cost us two goals in the match,. well He cost us the world cup dream to be precise. Lakh di Lanat on your report Mr. Lutfi.. plz leave us alone and resign… Dont ruin Pakistan Football for your salary..
Mr Lutfi, dare to say all this to me and i’ll give you my answer……… from one coach to another
There you go…. lolzz
I am with you Rehan Mirza…. Every body knows that Lutfi is just bullshiting around…
Amjad, I have experience of coaching within the UK. These excuses are pathetic. I will watch his training sessions and the game. To say the word “4-4-2”, is the easiest job in the world……….. to describe the tactics and when to implement them during the game is what the role of the coach is. In response to this………. I think we are all on the same page.
There you go…. lolzz
I am with you Rehan Mirza…. Every body knows that Lutfi is just bullshiting around…
My dream team:
Yousuf Butt – GK
Shabir Khan – Defender (Worcester City FC – UK)
Zesh Rehman – Defender (Muangthong United FC – Thailand) – Captain
…Adam Docker – Defender (FC United of Manchester – UK)
Yaqoob Butt – Defender (Jagersborg – Denmark)
Adnan Ahmed – Midfield (Aboomoslem – Iran)
Atif Bashir – Midfield (Barry Town – UK) – Vice Captain
Irfan Khan – Midfield (Bradford Park Avenue – UK)
Ahmed Akbar Khan – Striker (Sydney FC – Australia)
Reis Ashraf – Striker (Buckingham Town FC – UK)
Azeem “Azza” Anwar -Striker (UK)
Coach – Rehan Mirza
Manager – Graham Roberts
my dream team
iltaf ahmed,Gk ( Manningham FC) iltaf surprised everyone when he prevented Iraq scoring despite their numerous attempts, with the match ending nil-nil.
nabil aslam , def (ac horsens)
naseer hameed ,def (Lekhwiya fc Qatar)
zesh (def)
shabir khan (def)
adnan farooq midfield
atif bashir midfield (Barry Town,welsh)
adam karim midfield
hassan bashir striker
akber striker
Adnan HAIDER – Valerenga
Wow – You’ve got some new players. This could give us a lot of options for the final line-up… :-)
Wow – You’ve got some new players. This could give us a lot of options for the final line-up… :-)
lutfi is just shit he is responsible for thsi
adnan played mashallah so well that I have never ever seen any local pakistani play so well for the past 24 years. so the ? of fitness is absurd infact its the local players who need weight training
remember when under sharida we won that year the domestic league was about 8 and half months long. from july till
march.
all we need is honest administrators .
as faisal saleh hayat has taken resignations of all top level management therefore he should sack them IMMEDIATELY. this is the right time.
we have to start from scratch again. minimum fours years are needed to come to 140-50 ranking