Footballers begin training under German coaches as camp launched

KARACHI: A training camp for Karachi United’s various age-group footballers was formally launched here on Saturday under the supervision of coaches from FC Union Berlin, a second division club of Germany.

Sindh Minister for Culture Sardar Shah inaugurated the camp at the KU Football Stadium in Clifton. After the formal opening, coaches of FC Union Berlin Leheune Sebastian and Rathenow Oliver supervised a training session. The camp will continue till April 24.

The camp was made possible through the back-up of the Pakistan to Germany Study (P2GS) and Eurasia, which promotes German language and culture in 80 countries around the world through education and sports exchange programmes.

The Eurasia’s founding Director Andrew Geddes was also present at the launch. He was accompanied by his wife and a sports teacher of a school in Munich Geddes Geb Toma who would also serve as trainer of the female lot of the KU.

The Director of P2GS Major Gen (retd) Shoukat Iqbal was also present on the occasion. The training sessions at the KU Football Stadium would be held daily from 3:45pm to 7pm.

In the morning session, the coaches would train youth at the Bahria College too.

As many as 15 young footballers of the KU, Under-14 more likely, would also be taken to Germany in July for a two-week training under the Union FC’s coaching staff.

Shoukat said that the step would benefit the youth to find opportunities of education in Germany besides receiving training from qualified coaches of Union FC.

Andrew said it would be a golden day of his life when any footballer of Pakistan would get a niche in the German league.

He said that Eurasia Institute had been working to connect the youth of the continents through education and cultural exchange programmes and sports, adding that both Germany and Pakistan had one thing in common and that was love for the game of football.

He said although Pakistan is far behind in FIFA’s world rankings but this coaching clinic would prove to be a small step towards the much needed change in football culture of the country whose three million people were involved in football.

Oliver Rathenow, who is the FC Berlin Manager scouting programme from Under-19 to the low age-group level, said that he was eagerly looking forward to work with the youth of Karachi United.

“It would be a continuous process and next year we would also be standing once again here. This is my first visit to Pakistan and I have been really given respect here,” Oliver said.

Earlier, the Chief Executive Officer of Karachi United Imran Ali thanked Eurasia, FC Union Berlin and P2GS for making the camp possible.

He said that KU had been working for the last 20 years for football and community development. He said that it was a great opportunity for Pakistani players and coaches to benefit from the input of top coaches of Germany.

“I hope that one day players from Karachi will be capable of playing for clubs like FC Union Berlin,” Imran said.

He said that KU had ten centres functioning in Karachi, adding, every Sunday 1000 players were being trained.