Pakistan face SAFF preparation crisis

Late camp raises concerns over team’s readiness

KARACHI:

Pakistan’s preparations for the SAFF Championship have come under scrutiny, with the national team set to begin its training camp on October 26, just nine days before the tournament kicks off in Dhaka, raising concerns over the players’ fitness and readiness.

Pakistan’s head coach Nolberto Solano confirmed to this correspondent that the training camp would begin on October 26, just nine days before the team’s opening match against India on November 5.

The delayed start means the players will have barely a few days to prepare before travelling to Bangladesh, raising questions about the team’s readiness for the competition.

Pakistan previously faced criticism over its preparations for the ASEAN Cup, when Solano was unable to obtain a visa in time and had to travel directly to Indonesia to join the squad. The team had been prepared in Islamabad under inexperienced coaches.

Unlike India and Bangladesh, where domestic leagues provide players with regular competition and help maintain their fitness, Pakistan currently has no active domestic league. The lack of regular competitive football makes an extended training camp particularly important for the national team.

“It is absolutely unacceptable,” former Pakistan international and senior coach Gohar Zaman told The Express Tribune.

“There are no Ronaldos or Messis here who are always in shape. Our players are usually out of action and need time to regain their fitness. They needed at least a 30-day camp for that purpose,” Gohar said.

“I do not think football development is a priority. If we want to develop the sport, we must take it seriously and manage it professionally,” he added.

Gohar also recommended that Pakistan’s senior goalkeeping coach Aslam Khan be included in the national team’s coaching staff for the tournament.

“Aslam is in Dhaka, working as goalkeeping coach for Abahani Limited. It would be a plus if he were brought in for the SAFF Championship,” said Gohar, a former striker who has also served as an assistant coach of Pakistan’s senior team under several foreign coaches.

PFF Chief Operating Officer Shahid Niaz Khokhar also confirmed the dates, saying  camp will begin on October 26 while the team will depart for Dhaka on November 2.

There are reports that some key Pakistan players based abroad may miss the tournament because of commitments to their clubs.

The training camp is expected to be held in Islamabad. This correspondent understands that Karachi could be a more suitable venue as the weather in the city is currently similar to that in Dhaka.

And Gohar agreed.

“It is a matter of professional thinking, but these people do not think that way. They will barely hold a camp for a few days,” he said.

Pakistan have been drawn in Group B alongside arch-rivals India and the Maldives. Hosts Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Bhutan make up Group A.

Pakistan will open their campaign against India on November 5 before facing the Maldives on November 7. The top two teams from each group will qualify for the semi-finals, scheduled for November 14. The final will also be held at the National Stadium in Dhaka on November 17.

Pakistan have a modest record in the SAFF Championship, with their best finish being third place in the 1997 edition in Nepal.

India lead the tournament’s honours list with nine titles, followed by the Maldives with two. Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan have won one title each.

India are reportedly planning to field their under-23 team in the tournament to give younger players international exposure.

Pakistan’s biggest footballing problem is the absence of a domestic league. Over the past 12 years, the league has been held only once, during the 2018-19 season, when it was organised by two rival federations.

After FIFA installed the Normalisation Committee in 2019, it failed to make the revival of the league or domestic football. As a result, Pakistan’s national teams have largely relied on overseas players.

The current Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) administration has also spent more than a year in office without making meaningful progress towards restoring the league, deepening the crisis for local players and leaving them without regular competitive football.