Lutfi rues lack of practice
Football coach desperate for win in World Cup qualifier.
KARACHI:
Pakistan football team coach Tariq Lutfi has expressed fears that rain might mar Pakistan’s 2014 World Cup qualifier match against Bangladesh, which also spoilt the practice sessions in Dhaka.
Lutfi said Pakistan needed to draw first blood in the first-leg encounter against the hosts because a defeat will affect the national team’s morale for the second-leg match that will take place in Lahore on July 3.
Lutfi rued the fact that the team was unable to practice.
“Rain has been a problem, it’s ruined the pitch for the match,” Lutfi told The Express Tribune. “We originally planned to have two practice sessions but we never got a chance to do anything because of the rain. I’m concerned because we needed to get familiar with the field prior to the match.”
Lutfi also pointed out that winning the first encounter will give confidence to the team as the squad has failed to win an international match this year. He said that tasting back-to-back defeats has lowered the team’s morale.
However, Lutfi remained hopeful of a good performance from captain and goal-keeper Jaffer Khan, who is the most senior player in the squad. UK-based defender Zesh Rehman will also be playing the match.
“We badly wanted practice sessions because Rehman had joined the team yesterday and I wanted the foreign and local players to practice together and discuss strategies, but now I’m counting on the players’ experience,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 29th, 2011.
Pakistan football team coach Tariq Lutfi has expressed fears that rain might mar Pakistan’s 2014 World Cup qualifier match against Bangladesh, which also spoilt the practice sessions in Dhaka.
Lutfi said Pakistan needed to draw first blood in the first-leg encounter against the hosts because a defeat will affect the national team’s morale for the second-leg match that will take place in Lahore on July 3.
Lutfi rued the fact that the team was unable to practice.
“Rain has been a problem, it’s ruined the pitch for the match,” Lutfi told The Express Tribune. “We originally planned to have two practice sessions but we never got a chance to do anything because of the rain. I’m concerned because we needed to get familiar with the field prior to the match.”
Lutfi also pointed out that winning the first encounter will give confidence to the team as the squad has failed to win an international match this year. He said that tasting back-to-back defeats has lowered the team’s morale.
However, Lutfi remained hopeful of a good performance from captain and goal-keeper Jaffer Khan, who is the most senior player in the squad. UK-based defender Zesh Rehman will also be playing the match.
“We badly wanted practice sessions because Rehman had joined the team yesterday and I wanted the foreign and local players to practice together and discuss strategies, but now I’m counting on the players’ experience,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 29th, 2011.