KARACHI, Aug 15: Pakistan football took a backward step as it returned to old system of selecting teams through a committee when officials on Friday announced to hold trials for Under-20 Asian championship qualifiers.

Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) has asked the players to appear in the two-day trials scheduled to be held on Aug 26 and 27 at Islamabad’s Jinnah Stadium.

Although the probables have been directed to report to coach- cum-commandant Tariq Lutfi, interestingly the squad would be finalized by a four-member selection committee.

The ailing sport was put back on track after two foreign coaches — John Layton and David Burns — provided by the AFC under its development programme, joined Pakistan squads some three and a half years ago.

Among number of changes in the whole system after the arrival of the pair was abrogation of the selection committee which was one the steps taken by the PFF since it was a pre-requisite for having services of AFC’s qualified coaches.

The two coaches, who were paid by the AFC during their tenure, enjoyed free hand in the selection which resulted in improvement, especially the juniors showed lot of spark whenever they played at home or away.

However, following the departure of AFC coaches late last year, PFF has again reverted to old system of appointing a selection committee.

M. N. Jahan, Mohammad Yousuf, Akbar Raeesani and Samiuddin Qazi, will now be incharge of selecting the squad after merely two-day or perhaps three-day trials.

“The selection committee was abolished when there were foreign coaches from AFC. But it is true that we can’t trust our own people. I think the idea to have a selection committee is to have equal representation as the selectors belong to four provinces,” said vice-president of the PFF, Ghulam Abbas Baloch.

According to the vice-president, the four selectors, Jahan (Punjab), Yousuf (Sindh), Akbar (Balochistan) and Sami (NWFP) are former internationals.

The coach, who has been assigned to train the squad for the October tournament, will not be a part of the selection — an old system which is in fashion in Pakistan hockey too.

Abbas was, however, against the selection committee and suggested only coach, whether local or a foreigner, should have the sole authority to choose the team.

“I am completely against the existence of selection committee. There should be a one-man selection committee. I mean only the coach should have the power to select the players,” he said.

The official held the PFF president Mian Mohammad Azhar and secretary Agha Liaquat Ali responsible for stripping coach from his power to select and constituting the selection committee.

“People who are running the affairs, the president and the secretary, make policies and implement. The formation of selection committee is one of the decisions they have taken” he remarked.

Meanwhile, another interesting factor is that Tariq, who had categorically refused to train the SAF Games squad earlier this year by saying he would not coach a junior squad, will now be training the Under-20 squad which is a youth side.

He had opted to accompany the senior squad to Singapore where team gave a dismal performance at Asian championship qualifiers, instead of training the Under-23 squad for an important event like SAF Games which were to be organized by Islamabad.

“I will join the camp for Asian championship qualifying round to be played in March in Singapore. Besides, SAF Games will be for Under-23, while I am the senior team coach,” he had told Dawn on Feb 5 this year.