Joost assures Dutch soccer support to PFF: Faisal

Lahore, 3 April : ” Dutch Ambassador to Pakistan, Joost Reintjes assured that Netherlands is ready to help Pakistan Football Federation which will promote soccer in Pakistan. The game plan and techniques of both teams are different and Pakistani footballers will learn a lot from Dutch way of playing as currently they are among top three in FIFA World Ranking.” this is stated by Pakistan Football Federation (PFF)’s President Makhdoom Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat after meeting with Reintjes, appointed in July 2009 to serve as the Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Pakistan.

Both discussed a road map for the development of Pakistan football and exchange of visits of men, women teams besides courses of refereeing, coaches and administrators.

Joost has lauded the invaluable contributions of Faisal Saleh Hayat for the promotion of football in Pakistan and said lately football was on a upward trend in Pakistan while talking at Lahore’s FIFA Football House.” Pakistan has come a long way in terms of level of competitiveness in the last six years and PFF management deserves praise for making solid efforts for the promotion of football’, said Dutchman hoping “I firmly believe that PFF would continue its journey in right direction under the leadership of Faisal”.

Joost is also convinced the standard of the game in Pakistan has greatly improved in recent years and Pakistan was unfortunate not to capitalize on the chances they received.”Pakistani football has much potential : there are some good players and some good teams, facilities are satisfactory but there is lack of money,”

Joost, who holds a masters degree in Arabic and Middle Eastern Studies from the University of Leiden. also visited FIFA Football House and called it among the best in the world, and also had chat with officials and players of Hamedan City-bound Pakistan U14 team. He believes there are still some hurdles that need to be overcome for football to blossom in the Pakistan.”What’s lacking is a sense of professionalism, while some obstructions make it difficult for [players from the region] to adapt abroad.

Ambassador congratulated Faisal on the successful completion of seven years as PFF Chief and expressed his desires to help Pakistan in the soccer enhancement and to strengthen its infrastructure.” My congratulation to Faisal for getting berth in World Cup South Africa 2010 Committee and for adjudicating Disciplinary Cases of mega 32-team show as Member of FIFA Disciplinary Committee detailed for this historic mega event,” said Joost who started his diplomatic career in 1989. He has served in various positions at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Hague and at embassies in Cairo, Caracas and Amman. From 2002 to 2005 he served at the Embassy in Baghdad, initially as Chargé d’Affaires, later as Ambassador.

Faisal praised the tremendous soccer ability of Netherlands who are currently third in the FIFA/Coca cola World Ranking and said good luck to the Ambassador of the nation that were runners up in World Cup 1974 and 1978 and Euro Gold medalist in 1988. He also hoped that the Dutchmen will show their real class in Group-E matches of World Cup 2010 against Denmark, Japan and Cameroon at Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town.