Jaffar keen to build up soccer team’s goalkeeping

KARACHI: Former Pakistan football team captain Jaffar Khan wants to strengthen the country’s goalkeeping department in future through his coaching.

“It is my desire to become Pakistan’s goalkeeping coach. During my career as a goalkeeper I felt that this sector had been left highly neglected,” Jaffar told The News in an interview from Peshawar on Monday.

Jaffar is the best gloveman Pakistan has ever produced in its football history. The Dera Ismail Khan-born former keeper has played over 150 international matches as goalkeeper for the country during his 14-year long career (1999-2013). He also remained Pakistan’s captain for seven years.

The most focused gloveman ever seen in Pakistan’s goalkeepers market Jaffar has a unique record as he did not concede goal in 16 matches of the Premier League while representing Army in 2006 season.

Jaffar, who played with former Pakistan captain Mohammad Essa, is currently working as goalkeeping coach of Pakistan Army in the ongoing National Challenge Cup in Peshawar.

“I don’t want to work as a team coach. My priority is to limit myself as a goalkeeping coach. I know the complications of this field and can transmit my knowledge to the keepers in the best possible way,” Jaffar said.

Besides having got an AFC License C, Jaffar has also done a specialized goalkeeping course in Bahrain.

He wants to further boost his knowledge as goalkeeping coach.

“I want to do more courses and it would be great if I got an opportunity to do any such course in Europe,” Jaffar said.

In the recently held World Cup qualifiers Pakistan had got the assistance of a Brazilian goalkeeping coach. Jaffar said that he knew that a foreigner always was not effective in communicating the knowledge to the goalkeepers because of the language barrier.

“When I will get an opportunity to serve as Pakistan’s goalkeeping coach I will be in the best position to teach young goalkeepers and make them more productive for the national duty,” Jaffar said.

Jaffar added that as a player he always tried to extend his hundred percent and it was his mission if he got an opportunity as full-time Pakistan’s goalkeeping coach he would deliver his services with sincerity.

“It’s my mission to go a long way in my own field which I know the best,” Jaffar was quick to add.