Lutfi emphasised that Milosavjlevic needs to concentrate more on the local talent instead of giving importance to the foreign-based players for lasting results.
As the team flew to Dubai for a week’s preparation before the qualifiers, three out of five foreign-based players are still missing, also skipping the practice-match with the UAE Army team.
According to assistant coach Shehzad Anwar, the team is depending on the foreign-based players Yousaf Butt, Yaqoob Butt, Hassan Bashir, Muhammad Ali, and Adnan Ahmed to strengthen the team against Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Macau in their group B matches at the qualifiers.
“It’s going to be a very cosmetic result even if they do well with the foreign-based players,” Lutfi told The Express Tribune. “The problem with foreign-based players is that they don’t join in before and there is a natural divide within the team. If they are coming to play for Pakistan they should at least commit their time completely.
“Over-emphasis on foreign-based players is hindering long-term progress; this preference is a let-down for the local players as well.”
Published in The Express Tribune, March 12th, 2013.
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Once again, Tariq Lutfi has shown to have very poor analysis. He refuses to acknowledge that poor domestic standard produces poor players that will always flop at international level.