Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) seems to be making some desperate efforts to raise the national team’s performance. However, the decision to invite seven foreign-based players for the tour of Singapore recently is testimony to the fact that the authorities are looking for shortcuts.
Their move, unfortunately, failed to deliver as Pakistan were thrashed by Singapore 4-0 in their FIFA friendly game at the Jurong West Stadium in Singapore last Monday. Before that game, Pakistan were also defeated by Singapore’s Olympic side 1-0 in their warm-up game.
Pakistan had also completely failed at major events last year, including World Cup Qualifiers, Olympic Qualifiers and SAFF Championship.
This year, too, Pakistan Under-22 side failed to click in the Asian Cup Qualifiers in Saudi Arabia in spite of the fact that the authorities provided ample exposure to the team as they were sent to Thailand, Palestine and Bahrain before the vital assignment in Riyadh. But the tour of Singapore might have shown to the authorities the real picture of the country’s football, which needs both technical and financial support.
Pakistan senior team played an international game almost after one year as before the recent tour of Singapore the team had played at the SAFF Championship in December 2011 in New Delhi.
With such limited exposure the authorities should not expect any better results from players who are a product of a poor domestic system. A defeat was not unanticipated at all but the 4-0 margin is something that must alarm the authorities. According to team sources, Singapore’s was a good squad as they had the assistance of four players of Serbia who have been given Singapore’s nationality.
The inclusion of half-a-dozen foreign-based players, who were supported by the PFF, also failed to bring any relief for the struggling side.Pakistan’s Serbian coach Zavisa Milosavljevic found some positives from the tour and said after the match that the frontline proved very good and so was the goalkeeping department.
According to team sources, Pakistan’s backline was so helpless that Singapore could have scored eight to nine goals had goalkeepers Jaffar Khan and Yousuf Butt not given top performance.
Danish goalie Yousuf Butt, who was not impressive last year in the Olympic Qualifiers against Malaysia, did a good job against Singapore. His performance was also hailed by goalkeeping coach Aslam Khan.
Denmark-based striker Mohammad Ali looked dangerous with fine dribbling quality and fast movements and so was another Denmark-based striker Hasan Bashir, who had also impressed Pakistan’s former coach Tariq Lutfi with his caliber during the camp ahead of the bilateral series against India, which was ultimately cancelled last year.
Both Ali and Hasan made their international debuts and so was Yousuf Butt, who before that game had played in the Olympic side.
According to team sources, Norway’s defender Omar Malik did not impress the management and Zavisa has advised him to play for the Pakistan junior team in future as he still needs a lot of hard work to find a place in the national team.
Why are the results not improving? It’s a question which needs proper attention.
Zavisa, who has worked as Pakistan coach for a year, should know the ground reality of Pakistan football. He held camp for just a couple of days ahead of the Singapore tour, which was a great mistake from him. Unlike Europe and other advanced football-playing nations, Pakistani players need at least 15 to 20 days’ camp ahead of any international assignment.
It is because of the weak domestic structure of Pakistan football that players’ basics are weak and they need a lot of attention from the coach to prepare them for any international match.
For example, striker Kaleemullah has so far scored six hat-tricks in the Pakistan Premier League for KRL but when it comes to international football he has always been a disappointment.
It is not that he is a bad player but he needs the type of support and coordination which he normally gets while playing for his home side KRL. About the foreign-based players the authorities will have to take extra care in future and invite only those players who are capable to deliver for the country.
Defender Zeeshan Rehman, who plays for Hong Kong’s Kitchee FC, looked completely off-colour against Singapore and had to be replaced by the coach after he made wrong movements, disturbing the whole backline.
He seems to be a spent force and so does England-based Adnan Ahmed who also failed to impress mainly because of his old age. If Pakistan’s star play-maker Essa does not have a place in the side despite good performance at domestic level, why are Zesh and Adnan part of the team?
The left-back Shabbir Khan, who plays for Worcester City FC in England, looked impressive in Singapore, according to team sources. But he was wrongly placed as a left-wing midfielder which was not a suitable spot for him.
Shabbir played for Pakistan after three years. He had played for the country of his origin in the 2009 Dhaka SAFF Championship, but was afterwards dogged by a ligament injury which forced him to stay away for a long time.
The inclusion of foreign-based boys is good for Pakistan but these players will have to give sacrifice for the national cause by making themselves available for almost every assignment. Their joining of preparatory camps should be made compulsory, without which a solid coordination will be impossible.
Now it’s the turn of Pakistan Under-23 team which is expected to leave for Sri Lanka at the end of this month to feature in an international tournament there. In the end, I must suggest that the PFF hire a technical director who could give the authorities a proper roadmap for the country’s prime league which badly needs improvement.
by Alam Zeb Safi [The News] 73.alam@gmail.com
Alam Zeb has written some valid points but I feel he is being a bit harsh on the foreign players. Firstly, Adnan didnt play the Singapore friendly as he had picked up an injury in the practice game against Singapore XI and he was sorely missed in midfield.
Secondly, the need is more international games for Pakistan on proper FIFA match dates. At least 3-4 every single year, and any camp that is arranged should be done at a time when the players abroad are available to join (i.e. summer break) rather than risk compromising their club careers. Only then can we find right combination and tempo.
You cannot expect the national team to perform when it can only play 1 game after nearly 12 months in the cold, and that too with new players.
Thirdly, as our own Ali Ahsan has pointed out, the need to drastically reform the domestic structure is a must so that local talent is prepared rather than ruined in the way PPFL is run right now.
actually can i say some thing… we miss best player his name is atif bashir.. playing in wales ….he his also injury… he is good player … i’m impress from his performance in saff championship…
Yes, it’s very unfortunate about Atif. He would be a sure starter. We have to find a quality defensive midfielder in his stead. Luke Dean could be ideal.
and essa is himself self exiled from international football
It should be very clear for all the Pakistan football authorities and team management that ZESH is not a helpful players for Pakistan team, he may be a very vital player for his club side but I don’t think that he is willing to do his 100% for national team, he did not come to Pakistan to play the second leg against bangladesh and now this performance. We need players like Atif , Adnan and Shabir, who give 100% to the national team, especially Atif Bashir and ESSA should also be the part of the team
Zesh clearly explained his decision to the PFF about not coming to Pakistan last year. But since that personal problem of his has been resolved, he was willing to come for the Palestine games. Performance wise, he needs to play regularly with the back-line to improve coordination and chemistry, you can’t doubt his quality though. And about Essa, he himself doesn’t want to play because of his demands.