New Fulham FC owner urged to groom Pakistani talent

Published July 16, 2013
Pakistan players celebrate a goal against Maldives during their AFC U16 2012 qualifying match. -Photo by Reuters
Pakistan players celebrate a goal against Maldives during their AFC U16 2012 qualifying match. -Photo by Reuters
Shahid Khan, Pakistani billionaire and also the owner of the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars now owns English Premier League football club, Fulham on July 12, 2013. - Photo by AP
Shahid Khan, Pakistani billionaire and also the owner of the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars now owns English Premier League football club, Fulham on July 12, 2013. - Photo by AP
Ricardo Duarte (L) of Costa Rica's Cartagines vies for the ball with Boumesca Tue Na Bangna of England's Fulham during a friendly football match at the Nacional stadium in San Jose, on July 14, 2013. - Photo by AFP
Ricardo Duarte (L) of Costa Rica's Cartagines vies for the ball with Boumesca Tue Na Bangna of England's Fulham during a friendly football match at the Nacional stadium in San Jose, on July 14, 2013. - Photo by AFP

KARACHI: Pakistan football chiefs urged new Fulham owner Shahid Khan to go back to his roots and tap up young talent in the South Asian country.

Billionaire Khan, born in the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore, took over the English Premier League club in a deal struck on Friday.

The 62-year-old vowed to build on the foundations left by previous owner Mohamed Al Fayed, and Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) marketing director Sardar Naveed Haider urged him to look to Pakistan.

“We are trying to make contact with him to request him to come to Pakistan and see the burgeoning talent in the country and get them an opportunity to groom at the Fulham academy,” Haider told AFP.

Pakistan were among the top Asian footballing nations until the 1970s, but lack of government support and the overwhelming popularity of cricket left the game in the doldrums.

They now sit at a lowly 167th in FIFA rankings -- languishing below Bermuda, Palestine and the Solomon Islands -- but Haider claims signs of improvement are visible.

“We definitely have talent at our disposal. Look at our structure in which our Under-14 and Under-16 teams are doing well,” he said.

“We won the South Asian Under-16 title in Nepal in 2011 and will defend it later this month.”

British-born Pakistan international defender Zesh Rehman played for the Cottagers for several seasons, and Haider said there was more talent waiting to be unearthed.

“If Khan can send his scouts to Pakistan who can have a look at our talent and provide them with a facility at Fulham it would be a great help and the boys are excited at the prospect,” said Haider.

Football is particularly popular in Pakistan's restive south western province of Baluchistan, but poverty and poor security mean few young players get a chance.

Khan, who has US citizenship and who already owns the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars, is ranked 179th in the Forbes 400 list of richest Americans, with an estimated worth of $2.5 billion. He made his fortune as a car parts manufacturer.

Haider said the fact Khan had taken over such a high-profile club would boost the game in Pakistan.

“It is very exciting for the football fraternity here that a Pakistani now owns top EPL club Fulham and we wish that under his ownership Fulham becomes a successful team,” Haider said.

Opinion

Editorial

Judiciary’s SOS
Updated 28 Mar, 2024

Judiciary’s SOS

The ball is now in CJP Isa’s court, and he will feel pressure to take action.
Data protection
28 Mar, 2024

Data protection

WHAT do we want? Data protection laws. When do we want them? Immediately. Without delay, if we are to prevent ...
Selling humans
28 Mar, 2024

Selling humans

HUMAN traders feed off economic distress; they peddle promises of a better life to the impoverished who, mired in...
New terror wave
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

New terror wave

The time has come for decisive government action against militancy.
Development costs
27 Mar, 2024

Development costs

A HEFTY escalation of 30pc in the cost of ongoing federal development schemes is one of the many decisions where the...
Aitchison controversy
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

Aitchison controversy

It is hoped that higher authorities realise that politics and nepotism have no place in schools.