LAHORE, Aug 7 Though Pakistan finished at the bottom in two regional events -- South Asian Games and SAFF Gold Championship -- this year, Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) president Faisal Saleh Hayat informed the Congress and Executive Committee that the country has made significant progress in the game.

Pakistan were to complete hat-trick of wins at the South Asian Games in Bangladesh but they ended at the bottom in the eight-team competition.

Earlier, Pakistan also failed to finish among top five in the eight-team SAFF Gold Championship, under Austrian coach George Kottan.

The federal government had released a hefty amount of Rs20 million to the PFF to meet Kottan's expenses.

“We have made significant progress in the promotion and development of football in Pakistan and are optimistic that it will gain popularity in coming years.

“The jam-packed Peoples Sports Complex during the final of the Super Football League showed football is now a happening sport in Pakistan,” said Faisal at the PFF Congress meeting, which was held at the FIFA Football House here on Saturday.

Earlier, the Executive Committee meeting of the federation was also held.

About the next coach of the national team after Kottan, the PFF secretary, Ahmad Yar Lodhi, said that the Congress had been informed that the federation had requested the federal government to sanction more funds to hire another foreign coach.

“If the government accepts our request, we will move forward to hire another foreign coach, otherwise, Pakistani coaches will continue to train the team,” the secretary added.

He said some amendments were made to the constitution of the PFF to make it according to the FIFA rules.

According to one of the amendments, the structure of the selection committee would be changed with coach getting say in the selection.

The new structure would be announced soon, he said.

He said the Pakistan team would tour South Korea on a training tour in October/ November this year.

“The PFF president has sought the tour of South Korea during his meeting with the Korean counterpart in the recently concluded World Cup in South Africa,” the secretary maintained.

Moreover, the PFF, with the help of FIFA would start professional league, which would provide more opportunities to players to earn money.

“Currently, we are only paying win bonus to the teams which are participating in the Premier League, but now we are trying to make it more professional, hiring players for different clubs and for it, FIFA is likely to provide assistance,” he said.

The secretary said the PFF also signed a contract with a company which would provide the PFF 3,000 footballs of international standard annually, besides kits and shoes of high quality to all the national, junior, youth and women teams.