Pakistan looking for foreign volleyball coach

KARACHI: Pakistan Volleyball Federation (PVF) plans to hire a foreign coach in order to prepare a solid side for international competitions.

“We are desperately trying to hire a foreign coach,” PVF chairman Chaudhry Yaqoob told ‘The News’ on Monday. “I have already talked to the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) Director General and now I plan to also talk to the federal minister for inter-provincial coordination (IPC) Riaz Pirzada. We need a very good coach to impart training to our players by a scientific pattern.

“We have made a comprehensive plan for the game. I will personally hand it over to the minister,” he said.

He said that a group of coaches had been assigned the task to scout young talented players during the 49th National Volleyball Championship which would be held in Islamabad from May 12-18.

“Mazhar Hussain and a few other coaches will shortlist some fine players who will be properly groomed for national duty,” he said.

He said that 16 affiliated units of the PVF would be fielding their teams in the seven-day affair to be held at the Liaquat Gymnasium.

The Allied Bank Limited (ABL) is the title sponsor of the slots.

The semi-finals will be held on May 17 and the final on May 18. Riaz Pirzada will grace the closing ceremony.

Yaqoob said that Rs2 million would be spent on the competitions.

Meanwhile, Yaqoob said at a press conference in Islamabad on Monday that volleyball had suffered a lot due to internal politics for the last few years. “But we have worked with sincerity and cleaned the system to pave the way for progress,” Yaqoob said.

“Our players are playing professional leagues in Lebanon, the Philippines and other countries which proves that the game is progressing in Pakistan”, he said.

He said Pakistan would be featuring in the Asian Junior Volleyball Championship in Vietnam next month. “The camp for the under-20 players is in progress in Peshawar,” he said.

Allied Bank’s representative Tahir Yaqoob said on the occasion that his bank would continue to support volleyball.