PFF contacts sponsors earlier interested in PSL
National football body hopeful of forming elite league.
According to PFF director Mir, PPFL would be held as usual regardless of other developments like the formation of an elite city-based league. PHOTO: EXPRESS ABID NAWAZ
KARACHI:
After the postponement of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) hopes to attract potential sponsors for their own city-based elite league.
According to the PFF secretary Ahmed Yar Khan Lodhi, the federation would need more than Rs 20million in order to hold the league that will feature cities rather than departments.
He said the idea has been around for some time, but due to the dreary economic situation in the country the plan for holding a city-based league or even revamping the Pakistan Premier Football League has been difficult. The federation has now taken the opportunity to speak to the sponsors, who were earlier interested in the PSL.
“We are targeting the corporate sponsors who were earlier interested in the PSL, and since that isn’t happening, we have proposed the plan for a football league,” Lodhi told The Express Tribune. “So far, we are getting a very positive response.”
It was earlier reported that the federation was going to do away with the PPFL. But according to PFF Director Competitions and Development Pervaiz Mir, the league will be held irrespective of other developments.
He said that although there are shortcomings in the structure of the domestic league, it is still there to keep the departments and clubs running and promoting football.
Meanwhile, Lodhi said that should the ambitious city-league idea materialise, the main venues would be Quetta and Peshawar along with Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad and Faisalabad.
He acknowledged that football needs big changes but said things would change gradually.
“We need to improve the pitches and other facilities if we expect the foreign players to play here. A lot needs to be done before trying to attract international players that can make the league exclusive. However, we are trying and capitalising on this opportunity.”
Denmark-based Pakistani footballer Hassan Bashir, who plays for Nordvest FC in Denmark, agreed that there were many deficiencies in the country’s infrastructure for football.
“There is a lack of a lot of things in Pakistan, the main things being money and pitches,” said Bashir. “It needs a lot of improvement.”
Published in The Express Tribune, March 5th, 2013.
After the postponement of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) hopes to attract potential sponsors for their own city-based elite league.
According to the PFF secretary Ahmed Yar Khan Lodhi, the federation would need more than Rs 20million in order to hold the league that will feature cities rather than departments.
He said the idea has been around for some time, but due to the dreary economic situation in the country the plan for holding a city-based league or even revamping the Pakistan Premier Football League has been difficult. The federation has now taken the opportunity to speak to the sponsors, who were earlier interested in the PSL.
“We are targeting the corporate sponsors who were earlier interested in the PSL, and since that isn’t happening, we have proposed the plan for a football league,” Lodhi told The Express Tribune. “So far, we are getting a very positive response.”
It was earlier reported that the federation was going to do away with the PPFL. But according to PFF Director Competitions and Development Pervaiz Mir, the league will be held irrespective of other developments.
He said that although there are shortcomings in the structure of the domestic league, it is still there to keep the departments and clubs running and promoting football.
Meanwhile, Lodhi said that should the ambitious city-league idea materialise, the main venues would be Quetta and Peshawar along with Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad and Faisalabad.
He acknowledged that football needs big changes but said things would change gradually.
“We need to improve the pitches and other facilities if we expect the foreign players to play here. A lot needs to be done before trying to attract international players that can make the league exclusive. However, we are trying and capitalising on this opportunity.”
Denmark-based Pakistani footballer Hassan Bashir, who plays for Nordvest FC in Denmark, agreed that there were many deficiencies in the country’s infrastructure for football.
“There is a lack of a lot of things in Pakistan, the main things being money and pitches,” said Bashir. “It needs a lot of improvement.”
Published in The Express Tribune, March 5th, 2013.