Brazil’s Rodrigo hired as football team’s trainer

KARACHI: FIFA-appointed Normalisation Committee has hired the services of Brazilian trainer Rodrigo Esteves dos Santos.

Rodrigo has joined Pakistan's senior men's football team which is training in Lahore.

“Yes, he has worked with the team for around three days in Lahore and he was found very impressive and hard working,” a Pakistan team source told 'The News'.

“He is young and energetic and hopefully he will do his job well,” the source said.

His services have been hired by NC until June 2023. It is pertinent to mention here that NC's tenure is until June 30, 2023.

After completing his education in 2015 in Brazil, Rodrigo worked with different football clubs in Brazil. He joined the Athletic Club of Carazinho as a physical trainer for under-17 team in 2017. He was also associated with Paulista Football Club as a physical trainer for under-20 players in 2018.

He also worked with under-15, under-20 and uder-23 teams of Ska Brasil Football Club. It has been learnt that he had been approached via Pakistan football team head coach Shehzad Anwar, who served as assistant coach with Ska Brasil recently.

“It is an immense pleasure for me to join the Pakistan team as a physical trainer. I appreciate the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) which trusted my abilities and provided me with an opportunity to train the players according to international standards,” Rodrigo said.

“I will try my best to serve the boys in a supporting way and use all my abilities to make them one of the best sides of Asia. They are talented and capable of excelling at the international level and with proper guidance and training, they can be made one of the best in South Asia,” Rodrigo said.

It has been learnt that NC had also contacted Pakistan's former Brazilian trainer cum coach Jose Roberto Portella but he could not accept the assignment due to bad health of his ailing father.

Pakistan team camp is in progress in Lahore. NC is trying to manage international friendlies for its elite squad. Sources said that it is hoped that soon friendlies will be arranged against a nation from South Asia or Africa.

Sources said that there is no chance of managing friendlies with Palestine.