Nolberto Solano arrives to take charge as Pakistan head coach
By our correspondent
LAHORE: Newly-appointed head coach of Pakistan football team and former Peru and Newcastle United player Nolberto Solano arrived in Lahore on Saturday to officially take charge ahead of the national side’s preparations for the AFC Under-23 Asian Cup Qualifiers.
The training camp will begin at the Kunj Football Ground in Abbottabad.
Solano was received by senior officials of the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) upon his arrival at Allama Iqbal International Airport.
Later, PFF Secretary General Shahid Niaz Khokhar welcomed him at the PFF headquarters. Solano left a strong impression on everyone at the federation with his positive attitude and friendly demeanor, quickly establishing rapport with the staff. He also expressed admiration for the PFF headquarters, praising its facilities.
A high tea was hosted in Solano’s honour at the secretariat, followed by an extensive meeting with PFF officials and staff. Discussions primarily focused on the national team setup and the upcoming training camp. Solano inquired about the condition of the Abbottabad pitch and sought details regarding his assistant coaches who will support him during the buildup to the qualifiers, which are scheduled to take place in Cambodia from September 3 to 9.
The camp’s probables are set to report today (Saturday).
“Solano is a good human being,” PFF General Secretary Shahid Khokhar said. “He is very excited and committed to contributing to the growth of Pakistan football,” Shahid said.
Solano is also scheduled to hold a Zoom meeting with his assistant coaching team later today.
The assistant coaches for the camp include Mohammad Habib, Gohar Zaman, Mehmood Khanand Jaffar Khan. Argentine fitness coach Jorge Castaneira is expected to arrive on August 20 to join the team.
A total of 50 players have been shortlisted for the camp, including 15 members of the senior national squad.
Pakistan’s campaign in the AFC Under-23 Asian Cup Qualifiers will open against Iraq on September 3, followed by a clash with hosts Cambodia on September 6 and concluding with a match against Oman on September 9.
The qualifiers feature 44 teams divided into 11 groups. The group winners and the four best second-placed teams will qualify for the final tournament scheduled for January 2026 in Saudi Arabia which will host the event for the first time.