November 1, 2002	Friday	Sha’aban 25,1423

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KARACHI, Oct 31: Although Pakistan is to release its two foreign soccer coaches the local trainer is calling the shots bypassing chief coach’s authority.

Siddiq Sheikh, a Karachi-based coach, deputed to assist the chief coach, Slovak Jozef Herel, has virtually taken over the senior squad.

Herel, assigned by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) to select and train the senior squad, who was to be assisted by Siddiq, has been reduced to a nonentity with the latter handling all the affairs.

Be it selection of the probables and training of the squad, Siddiq has been involved.

Siddiq is not getting along well with the national players which could be well judged by the fact that players even revolted against him during the training camp in Islamabad for the Asiad.

Most of the called-up trainees were even reluctant to join the camp because of Siddiq’s behaviour and his interference into the selection and training.

Siddiq, along with another Karachi-based coach, is being tipped to become a national coach if Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) decides against renewing the contract of the foreign coaches after AFC development fund programme’s suspension.