National women’s football team coach Tariq Lutfi’s aim will be to give maximum opportunity to talented players in the country as he initiated a camp in Islamabad for the upcoming South Asian Football Federation (Saff) Championship.
According to Lutfi, this time the national camp will be different. He has gathered a pool of 55 players in order to shortlist and build a competitive side that can take on Saff defending champions India in the competition at home in November.
“This will not be a usual camp by any means,” Lutfi told The Express Tribune. “We have 55 girls. The reason for keeping a bigger pool of players in the national camp is that I want to make sure we are picking the best talent from Pakistan.
“You see, the general standard of women’s football is not that good, with players lacking even basic techniques. But there is enough time to work.”
The former men’s national team coach said that the women’s team may get two international tours before the championship.
Lutfi has also coached the National Women’s Championship winners Balochistan United FC this year.
“Pakistan’s standing in the world is not encouraging. But it only means that we now have more opportunities and scope to prove things.
“I was attending Fifa training in Switzerland. At the end of the training, Fifa President Sepp Blatter said a highly unusual thing; he declared football a feminine sport. We were all shocked, but the gist was that women football has a bright future.”
Published in The Express Tribune, September 7th, 2014.
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