Pak footballers to gain rhythm ahead of SAFF Cup: Shahzad

KARACHI: Pakistan football team technical coordinator and former head coach Shehzad Anwar on Thursday hoped that the team would gain rhythm ahead of the SAFF Cup 2018 pencilled in for September 4-15 in Bangladesh.

“The experience of playing a few practice matches on foreign soil which Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) is trying to arrange and some group matches in the 18th Asian Games in Indonesia would help national team to catch rhythm ahead of the SAFF Cup,” Shehzad told ‘The News’ in an interview from Lahore.

However he was quick to add that three wasted years have damaged the country’s football and so the team needs great support.“International exposure for the team at this stage is very important,” said Shehzad, also an Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Pro Licence holder.

In SAFF Cup, Pakistan have been clubbed in Group A with the hosts and former winners Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan. Pakistan will begin their journey in the region’s vital event with the match against Nepal on September 4. It would be followed by their matches against Bangladesh on September 6 and Bhutan on September 8.

India, the most successful side of the SAFF Cup with seven crowns to their credit, are in Group B with former champions Sri Lanka and the Maldives. Two teams from each group will progress to the semi-finals. Shehzad said that three years of inactivity is a big disadvantage for Pakistan. “You know Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan remained engaged all these three years playing in international circuit while we missed international exposure during the same time which will matter a lot,” said Shehzad, who also remained head coach of Pakistan team in the 2013 SAFF Cup in Nepal. “Bangladesh played against Australia, Kyrgyzstan, Jordan and Tajikistan in the 2018 World Cup qualifiers. Bhutan progressed to the second round of the World Cup qualifiers after beating Sri Lanka in the play-off. Nepal featured in the AFC Solidarity Cup.

Pakistan eluded the international circuit after losing to Yemen in the World Cup qualifiers play-off. Such things would count but I still believe that the way we are preparing the side it is hoped that Pakistan will put in their best in Bangladesh,” Shehzad said.

In SAFF Cup history, Pakistan have faced Bangladesh six times since the inaugural edition in 1993. The Green-shirts have won two games, lost two and two remained drawn.

Pakistan’s record against Nepal in SAFF Cup is not good. The two nations have faced each other five times in the region’s major tournament. Pakistan lost two games, won just one and three matches ended in a draw.

Pakistan faced Bhutan once in the event. It was in 2009 Dhaka SAFF Cup when the then Austrian coach George Kottan led Pakistan to a crushing 7-0 win over the then tournament minnows Bhutan.

But before SAFF Cup Pakistan will only fulfill the formalities of taking part in the toughest 32-team Asian Games which will also mark return of the country to international football for the first time since May 2015. Asiad will be held in Indonesia from August 18 to September 2.

In the Asian Games an under-23 side with three senior players will be fielded. Senior sides of the region will feature in the SAFF Cup. National camp is in operation in Lahore under the Brazilian coach Jose Antonio Nogueira. The camp, which had been started on May 25, will experience a break for Eid-ul-Fitr from June 12 to 19.

India are the defending champions following their success in 2015 when they overcame Afghanistan in the final. Afghanistan is not competing this year having joined the Central Asian Football Association (CAFF). The Bangabandhu National Stadium will host all the matches in September with the top-two teams from each group qualifying for the semis-finals. Besides India’s seven SAFF Cup titles, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Maldives and Sri Lanka have lifted one crown each.

Meanwhile this would be the first time when foreign-based players will join camp around two months ahead of the SAFF Cup. Birmingham-born full-back Zeeshan Rehman, Denmark-based Pakistan’s captain Hassan Bashir, striker Mohammad Ali and goalkeeper Yousuf Butt are expected to join camp in early July.

Zeshan, who plays for Hong Kong club Southern, has also been sent the programme by the PFF. However Danish Superliga 21-year old midfielder Adnan Mohammad has changed his plans of arriving in Pakistan on JUne 10. This correspondent on Thursday learnt that he would now inform the PFF about his new plan in future as he is expected to change his club. He will be available for the SAFF Cup.