ISLAMABAD The Pakistan National Under-23 football team is undergoing a training session in Lahore for the preparation of the 16th Asian Games which will be held in Guangzhou, China from November 12-27.
The Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) has appointed Akhtar Mohiuddin as the head coach of the team for the Asian Games.
“Akhtar Mohiuddin is the coach of the team at Asian Games football after Salman Ahmed Sharida who was the coach when the Asian Games were held in Bahrain in 2006,” Ahmed Yar Khan Lodhi, General Secretary of the PFF told APP.
The Chaman born Akhtar was also chief coach when Pakistan played in the AFC U-14 Festival in Kathmandu in 2004 and gave an impressive performance to finish third in the competition.
During that event Pakistan outplayed Turkmenistan and Bhutan by 3-0 margins and lost narrowly to India, Nepal and Uzbekistan.
Earlier the football team went through a shocking blow when it was ignored for the Asian Games.
“But President PFF, Makhdoom Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat, pushed the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) to include it in the contingent by offering to bear the expenses of the team's participation in the Asian Games.” Lodhi said.
Meanwhile, the football crazy fans in Pakistan are extremely happy with the inclusion of football in the Asiad.
A football lover, Asim Mushtaq said it is amazing to hear that football got included in the Asian Games and is going in the event at its own expenses
“I believe our football team can clinch medal in the event”.
Another football admirer, Haroon Khan, said that he feels if the federation keeps on taking such steps for the football players, then one day we can also compete in the football World Cup. - APP
