PFF plans foreign tour for footballers

KARACHI: Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) plans to provide a foreign tour to the national footballers ahead of the Asian Games slated to be held in Indonesia from August 18 to September 2.

“Yes, a foreign tour is certainly in the plans,” a PFF senior official told ‘The News’. Although he did not mention any particular country to which Pakistan would visit but indicated that Pakistan might tour to Gulf countries. “Any gulf nation may be the target,” the official said.

There is also a chance that Pakistan may hold a camp on foreign soil for the Asian Games, which are held at a time when the country is not in the best position to make the sort of preparation needed for the purpose due to three years of inactivity of the game because of a conflict.

After a long drought, eventually, national footballers returned to the national circuit when 24 teams featured in the National Challenge Cup whose final will be held on Thursday (today) here at the KPT Sports Complex between four-time Premier League winners WAPDA and the 2014 National Challenge Cup champions Pakistan Air Force (PAF).

The newly-hired Brazilian coach Jose Antonio Nogueira along with the PFF Technical Study Group (TSG) is busy in shortlisting players for the national camp. It is expected that over 40 players will be invited to the camp which will also see some very young players who have impressed the selectors with their skills.

The PFF official said that because of shortage of time the camp would have to be held in Lahore in Ramazan. “I think we will have to hold camp in Ramazan as time is short,” the official said.

As per rules in Asian Games football competitions are held among the under-23 teams of the continent. However, a nation can also field three senior players in its side. Players born on January 1, 1995 and after are eligible to become part of the Asiad.

But it is not only the Asian Games which are the prime target of the PFF but also the SAFF Championship, which is more important for Pakistan. The SAFF Cup would be held in Bangladesh from September 4-15. And the PFF is not only in search of under-23 players but it will also need senior players. It has been learnt that around 15 senior players will also be part of the camp. Foreign-based players are also on the radar of the PFF to be kept in the camp. “Yes they will also join the camp,” the PFF official said.

The official said that the foreign stuff would also have some new faces. “There will be some new players also along with those already tested,” he said. Brazilian coach Jose had come directly to Karachi a few days ago to begin his hunt for players for the national camp. He is yet to hold a detailed meeting with the PFF top brass.

The PFF has already forwarded entries by numbers to the Asian Games organisers. The federation is also expected to send the final list to the organisers through Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) by June 10. In the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon Pakistan had ended third in their three-outfit group. The Greenshirts lost to North Korea 0-2 and China 0-1 to face an exit.