![Shamlan appointed PFF Director Technical [Tribune]](https://footballpakistan.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Shamlan-training.jpg "Shamlan appointed PFF Director Technical [Tribune]")
Natasha Raheel – Express Tribune
Shamlan replaced Serbia’s Zavisa Milosavljevic after Pakistan’s dismal performance against Afghanistan in a friendly match, where they lost 3-0. PHOTO: FILE
A PROUD KARACHIITE: Bahraini coach Mohamed Shamlan will serve as the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) Director Technical besides carrying out his duties as the head coach for the national team.
The PFF confirmed yesterday that Shamlan has been appointed as the Director Technical for the development of the national team, coaching education and youth development with immediate effect.
“Yes, Shamlan will be the Director Technical for the development of the Pakistan squad since he is a very capable and qualified individual for this job,” PFF Secretary Ahmed Yar Khan Lodhi told The Express Tribune.
“Earlier, Pervez Mir was working on this alone. Even though Mir is a good administrator, he doesn’t have the proper training or coaching background. Shamlan is an Asian Football Confederation Pro-License coach and has vast experience in his field. He will make better decisions.
“Secondly, he understands the requirements of the team in a better way given his position as head coach for the national side. I feel Shamlan will make a great impact on both the junior and senior teams, while answering to critics as well.”
Shamlan joined the PFF as the head coach in August, just two weeks before Pakistan’s participation in the South Asian Football Federation (Saff) Championship in Nepal. He replaced Serbia’s Zavisa Milosavljevic after Pakistan’s dismal performance against Afghanistan in a friendly match, where they lost 3-0.
On his stay with the team in Nepal, Shamlan had said that he would take time to get to know the players first and emphasised on utilising Pakistan’s talent smartly.
“As a coach I’ll be different,” Shamlan had told The Express Tribune in his interview during preparations for the Saff Championship in August. “The team will need to develop the right balance, and for that I’d want to know the players first, establish a good relationship with them, understand their issues and then get results for the federation as well. All of this will take time. With the plan that I have in mind, the results will start to come in six months time.”
Published in The Express Tribune, October 4th, 2013.