Akhtar slams ongoing National Women Football C’ship over ‘loopholes’

KARACHI: Former Pakistan football team coach Akhtar Mohiuddin has said that the ongoing National Women Football Championship has many loopholes and could have been made much better had a sane mind prepared the plan.

“I think there are numerous loopholes which hamper development of the game. It could have been made much better had a sensible mind prepared the plan,” Akhtar told ‘The News’ in an interview.

“So many teams have been put directly in the event and you see weaker teams are losing the games by huge margins. Had a few top teams been put in the main round and the rest placed in the qualifying rounds, in the end we could have a much better and a competitive football,” observed Akhtar, who serves as head coach of Higher Education Commission (HEC) in the 20-team event being held here at the KPT Stadium and KMC Stadium simultaneously.

He said with the amount being spent on the event a top level National Women League could have been made possible which could have put a solid foundation for the growth of women football in the country.

He lashed out at Spanish Director Technical Daniel Limones, saying, he knows nothing.

“Daniel does not deserve to act as Director Technical. He has no sound knowledge of the technical aspects of the game and cannot plan for such events which need judicious planning,” Akhtar said.

“Daniel wrongly suspended match commissioner Ali Nawaz and it was an insult for him as he has been a legend of the game and I condemn this incident,” Akhtar said.

“Daniel has been making blunders. He had also allowed a red-carded player to play during the National Challenge Cup. I don’t know why the authorities don’t take notice of such irregularities on his part,” he said.

He also pointed out that there is no female referee in the event which is also a huge blunder.

Former Pakistan assistant coach Nasir Ismail also lashed out at Daniel for having made so many violations.

“I have been telling since long that he is a non-technical person. His pro-license should also be verified,” Nasir told ‘The News’.

“He passed several people wrongfully in the C license coaching course. He even passed Taha Ali Zai when he was physically not present on the ground for three days,” Nasir alleged.

“Besides playing a Karachi United player despite suspension during the National Challenge Cup and having acted as head coach during Pakistan women team camp despite having the portfolio of Director Technical he also insulted our legend footballer Ali Nawaz by suspending him for his own (Daniel) fault. I am surprised why action is not being taken against Daniel,” said Nasir, also a head coach of Masha United, a major team playing in the ongoing National Women Football Championship.

Meanwhile, a source said that the PFF Normalisation Committee is spending Rs25 million on the event which has no such utility.

Some sources have also questioned that leaving out the provincial teams from the National Championship abolishes its status as a national event.

“It is not a national event. We see some unknown clubs here but don’t find provincial teams. You cannot remove provinces from the national event,” said the source, who has been attached with the country’s football for the last two decades.

It has been learnt that a senior PFF official Rauf Bari who has vast experience of managing such events is not present here at Karachi due to various divisions among the staff of the PFF NC.

“The main person is not here while those who are unaware how to manage such events have been enjoying their stay at a luxurious hotel here,” he said.