KARACHI, Oct 21: Football has a chance to survive in Pakistan with national federation having an option to pay foreign coaches from FIFA grant after AFC suspended its development fund programme.

The future of two foreign coaches hangs in the balance as the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) is yet to decide whether to release them or otherwise following the suspension of AFC’s programme.

Pakistan was provided two coaches by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) as part of programme. But a decision to suspend the programme involving 26 associations by the new AFC chief Mohamed bin Hammam has put the future of coaches in doubt.

AFC provides coaches, youth development officials and executive secretaries to its affiliated associations as part of the programme. Pakistan was among the 26 nations benefiting from the aid.

Pakistan has the services of an English coach, John Layton, for the junior squads and a Slovak, Jezef Herel, for the senior side.

Layton’s three-year contract expires on Dec 18 this year, while Herel’s one-year agreement ends on Dec 28. Both leave the country if the PFF decides against renewing their contracts.

However, according to coaches, the AFC has given an option to the national associations they could retain the coaches paying them through FIFA grant — Financial Assistance Programme (FAP).

Since Pakistan is also one of the FAP recipients, the option to ask the coaches to carry on is there for the PFF.

“The PFF has to decide whether it wants me to stay as the AFC has given it a choice to pay the coaches from the FIFA grant. So far I have not been asked by the PFF to leave,” Layton said.

Herel also said the ball was in PFF’s court as AFC had not imposed a decision to release the two coaches.

“AFC has given the PFF an opportunity to keep the coaches if they need them by paying their salaries through FIFA grant. The AFC programme ends in December, but PFF still can hire me again if they want. One official can’t make decisions. Only the PFF has to take a decision,” Herel, who is here to watch President PFF Cup matches, said.

However, the PFF faces a dilemma and is pondering whether to keep faith in the coaches or ask them to pack up and leave.

“I have heard that we can pay the coaches through FIFA grant. But we have not decided yet. A PFF meeting, to decide the matter, will be held, but are waiting for political activity to subside as president PFF Mian Azhar is busy in his political commitments,” PFF vice-president Abbas Baloch said.

If one goes by Layton’s achievements, Pakistan juniors have certainly made progress. It was Layton-built under-19 side that qualified for Asian championship final for the first time in 2000 in Tehran.

Pakistan under-17 also reached the final of the Asian contest organized by UAE earlier this year, while the under-20 squad missed the final berth after Bangladesh qualified on better goal average this year under Layton’s wings.

The seniors also earned their first-ever point at World Cup qualifiers, scoring the first goal under Layton’s guidance who took over the senior side after David Burns was sacked, with qualifying round barely a month away.

Layton, who came to Pakistan in Dec 1999, was also the incharge of the seniors before Burns’ arrival in March 2000. Pakistan were 195th in world ranking when Layton took over and climbed to 182nd when he switched over to junior sides.

Although the seniors didn’t make their mark under Herel’s command, especially after losing all their matches at recent Busan Asian Games. But it would be a great loss if PFF decides to release Layton on whom the players have always expressed confidence saying “he must be the best coach Pakistan ever had.”

Herel could also be given a chance as the team did not have much international exposure ahead of Games. Some friendlies in Sri Lanka earlier this year were the last activity seniors had.

Pakistan soccer got some boost after the foreigners, especially Layton came, and a decision to sent the duo home would only encourage the “mafia” of local coaches to damage the sport’s image again.