By Alam Zeb Safi
LAHORE: Former Pakistan international and senior coach Gohar Zaman has warned that Pakistan will need nothing short of a “miracle” to reach the semi-finals of the upcoming SAFF U-20 Championship, citing the strength and organization of regional rivals.
The seven-nation tournament will be held in Malé from March 23 to April 4, with Pakistan drawn in a challenging Group B alongside regional heavyweights India and Bangladesh.
“It will be a miracle if Pakistan qualifies for the semi-finals,” Zaman told thecricketplus.com in an interview.
“I wish them good luck, but the group is very tough. If Pakistan manages to reach the semi-finals then definitely they will have the potential to go on and become SAFF champions.”
Pakistan’s Under-20 squad is currently training at Jinnah Stadium Islamabad under head coach Shehzad Anwar, the country’s only AFC Pro License coach. A preliminary camp of 28 players has been in operation, with the final 23-member squad scheduled to depart for Maldives on March 20.
Zaman backed the appointment of Anwar and assistant coach Mohammad Habib, saying the current coaching staff had been selected on merit.
“The ground reality is that Shehzad Anwar was the best choice at the moment for the team. He has already been working with youth players and Habib is also an experienced coach,” Zaman said. “When the coaches are good, then definitely the team selection will also be based on merit.”
However, he stressed that Pakistan’s football structure lags far behind regional competitors.
“The ground reality is that the football systems of Bangladesh and India are far more organized than ours,” Zaman said.
“There is no comparison at the moment. Pakistan football needs to improve a lot. There is a big difference between our system and the systems of Bangladesh and India, which are much stronger.”
Zaman has served Pakistan football in various coaching roles, including as assistant to Nolberto Solano, the ex-Newcastle United midfielder who is working with the Pakistan national senior team. Zaman and fellow assistant Mehmood Khan were later replaced when a new coaching panel was introduced after a tour.
Pakistan’s Under-20 side faces additional challenges beyond a difficult group. The team has limited international exposure, with nine members of the provisional squad yet to play at the international level. Around 13 players in the camp are currently attached to departmental teams.
Pakistan football has struggled in recent years due to administrative instability and limited domestic competition, leaving age-group teams short of competitive experience. The Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) has also faced difficulties in sustaining regular domestic activity, a factor widely viewed as a setback for player development.
In the tournament format, the top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals scheduled for April 1. Group A features Nepal, hosts Maldives, Bhutan and Sri Lanka while India, Pakistan and Bangladesh form Group B.
Pakistan will open their campaign against Bangladesh on March 24 at the National Stadium Male before facing India two days later.
Head coach Shehzad Anwar has also acknowledged the scale of the challenge facing his largely inexperienced squad.
“The current team is completely new and inexperienced,” Anwar told this correspondent the other day.
“It’s a big challenge as the weather there will be very hot.”
The young squad is also preparing mostly at night due to the ongoing month of Ramadan, meaning they will need to adjust immediately while entering into the event soon after Eid-ul-Fitr.
Pakistan’s record at youth level tournaments has been modest. Over the past 25 years, the country has managed only one victory at the Under-19 level, a win against India during the AFC U-19 Championship Qualifiers 2011, when Shehzad Anwar was also the coach.
With limited preparation, a young squad and formidable oppositions, Pakistan’s hopes in the Maldives tournament appear slim but as Zaman noted, football can still produce surprises.
