ISLAMABAD: Pakistan have hired the services of Brazilian coach for the training of its volleyball team, who is arriving in the country on November 16, Secretary Pakistan Volleyball Federation Maj. (R) Muhammad Afzal said on Tuesday.

Talking to APP, he said initially the services of Mr. Augusto Sabatini, a highly seasoned coach, who in the past had been training various international outfits, including India, had been hired for one-year.

‘Prior to him an Iranian coach was training our boys, but now he has excused from providing his services anymore,’ he said.

Afzal, who is a former international volleyball referee, said Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) would pay the coach $3,000 monthly for his services adding, ‘we don’t have experienced people like Mr. Augusto, who can impart training to boys.’

To a question, he said Pakistan had great talent for volleyball and the future of the country in the game was bright. He said that in the recently concluded 11th Al-Rashid International Men’s Volleyball Championship in United Arab Emirates (UAE) Pakistan got bronze medal.

‘Our two players, Mohib Rasool and Muhammad Ismail were declared best players of the Championship. The former was best striker and the latter the best receiver,’ he said.

He expressed the hope that the proper coaching of the players would help the country to clinch top positions in the mega events, including the South Asian Games (SAG). He said 22 players had been called for the training camp at Islamabad Sports Complex for SAG.

‘The majority of our team is consisted of junior team boys, who have won gold medal in the Asian Games and I am confident they will also bag first position in SAG,’ he said.

The Secretary Volleyball Federation said that plan had been devised to clinch the gold medal in SAG and the federation had written to PSB that prior to SAG either arrange Bangladeshi team’s visit to Pakistan or arrange a tour of Pakistan’s team to China, Iran or Thailand. He said fixtures with any of these teams would help the boys to gauge their true strengthen and overcome weaknesses.

To another question he said that although all the teams, participating in SAG were good, India was the only team, which would pose some real challenge to Pakistan. ‘We are expecting very interesting contest with India,’ he added. —APP