KARACHI: The successful tours of India and Bahrain are an indication that the Pakistan players are warming up to Bahraini head-coach Mohammad Al Shamlan’s methods and tactics, the head of the tour delegation Sardar Naveed Haider Khan said on Monday.

The national football team returned to Lahore from their double-tour on Sunday night to a warm reception from football fans gathered at the airport.

Pakistan played out a 1-1 draw with Bahrain’s domestic champions Riffa SC last Monday before wrapping up their tour with a 2-2 draw against their Cup holders East Riffa last Wednesday.

Prior to that, the team played a two-match series against India in Bangalore where they lost the opener 1-0 before winning the second game 2-0.

And Sardar Naveed, who is also Pakistan Football Federation’s (PFF’s) marketing consultant, attributed the fine run of results to Shamlan’s methods.

“This is a positive sign for the Pakistan team and shows that the players are responding to Shamlan’s coaching,” he told Dawn on Monday.

“Shamlan’s tactical acumen has won over the team and his handling of the team is very professional. Hopefully the run will continue at the upcoming Asian Games [in Incheon, South Korea, where Pakistan face North Korea and China in Group ‘F’].”

Sardar Naveed cited an example of Shamlan’s tactical prowess when, during the tour of India, his masterplan to mark the hosts’ star man Sunil Chettri saw Pakistan romp to a 2-0 win over their arch-rivals.

“He [Shamlan] had seen India’s reliance on Chettri in the opener and he even openly declared in the pre-match press conference that the Indians would not be able to withstand Pakistan if Chettri’s supply lines were blocked.

“He set out the team to do exactly that and we recorded a magnificent victory.

“With the players that have emerged in the last few years, Shamlan’s style of setting out the team is now working well.”

Prior to the series against India, Shamlan had won just two of his seven matches in charge of the national team since taking over at the end of the SAFF Championship last year.

And after the successful back-to-back tours of India and Bahrain, he’s confident of a strong show at Incheon.

“I’m extremely proud of my boys,” Shamlan said, according to a PFF news release. “The whole team played as one unit. The victory in India has raised their morale ahead of the Asian Games.”

Published in Dawn, September 2nd , 2014