KARACHI, July 30: A former Pakistan soccer coach John Layton has offered his services again but faces an AFC condition as a stumbling block. “Since Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) is looking for a foreign coach and I am available, I am willing to rejoin Pakistan squad,” Layton told Dawn from Wellington, New Zealand on Saturday.

While the Briton, who returned to England after Asian Football Confederation (AFC) suspended its funding programme to underdeveloped countries, has shown keenness to serve Pakistan again, the AFC and PFF have given him a cold shoulder.

The Englishman said he contacted PFF on March 31 and AFC secretary-general Peter Velappan on April 3, informing them about his availability to coach Pakistan again. But he is yet to receive any response from the two bodies.

“I sent a letter to the PFF president and its copy to Peter Velappan. After receiving no response, I again contacted AFC through development officer Hasan Ali Sabah on May 10. But all in vain,” informed the coach whose contract with Lower Hutt City ends in September.

Layton, who served Pakistan senior and junior teams from 1999 to 2002, believed his rich coaching experience and familiarity with the region and people, gave him an edge over other foreign coaches.

“Although I found Pakistan very frustrating at times, I also found it very rewarding working with the players and coaches. Generally, Pakistani people were good to me.

“It is very evident to me that it is going to take a lot of work to get things moving with the rest of Asia in terms of organisation, education, and implementation. I know the region, the people who know me as a coach and a person which is why I want to return,” he asserted.

On the other hand, PFF says it is looking for a foreign coach but may not be able to hire Layton as the federation does not have funds.

“Both (John) Layton and David (Burns) the former senior team coach, are willing to join again. But the problem is we don’t have funds for their salaries,” PFF director technical Col Mujahid Ullah Khan (retd), told Dawn.

Ironically, AFC says it will provide $6,000 per month to Pakistan for hiring coach or coaches, but on condition that he should be from Asia.

“AFC is ready to provide $6,000 per month to engage coaches on the condition that we should hire only an Asian,” Mujahid said. “AFC has its own policy in this regard,” he said when asked was it not AFC’s tactics to oblige its affiliates by giving their coaches an opportunity.

Mujahid did not mince words in saying PFF would have tried to strike a deal with Layton had there not been AFC condition.

Interestingly, Layton had served from 1999 to 2002 as an AFC coach and as Pakistan’s Director of Coaching and Youth Training apart from being the coach.

Mujahid first admitted PFF would be required to pay from its own kitty if it succeeded in hiring a Brazilian or Argentine coach. Later he retracted his statement when asked the reason why PFF was willing to spend foreign currency on a complete stranger from Brazil or Argentina and not on reliable foreign coaches who have already served Pakistan well in the past.

The PFF official conceded PFF could utilise FIFA’s Financial Assistance Programme (FAP) to hire coaches, he said, it would be difficult to hire Layton because of other expenditures. He was unconvincing when asked from where PFF will receive the huge amount to pay coach from Brazil or Argentina.

“We may strike some deal with Brazil or Argentina. But unfortunately we are still waiting for reply from both sides. Iran is another option from where we might be able to hire a good coach.”