Kaleem, Aadil call Dordoi experience ‘excellent’ [The News]

Sports Correspondent – The News

KARACHI: Pakistan’s star footballers Kaleemullah and Mohammad Aadil on Friday termed their experience of playing in Kyrgyzstan’s league an excellent one.

 Answering a question at a briefing at the FIFA Football House in Lahore, both the players said it had been an excellent experience as they had a very helpful exposure during their time with Dordoi, Kyrgyzstan’s leading club.

 Both the players had a chance to play with players from Russia, Turkey, Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan during their stint with Dordoi, which is being managed by former Pakistan coach Zavisa Milosavljevic.

 It is pertinent to mention here that Chaman-born Kaleem, whose contract with Dordoi expires on July 31, has signed a fresh, two-year deal for Rs10 million with Dordoi.

 Aadil’s contract will expire in December and there are chances that the short-statured winger will also be given extension in his contract.

 Kaleemullah lauded the Pakistan Football Federation’s (PFF) effort for the promotion of the game. “The PFF is doing a great job for the promotion of the game. The way it is providing exposure to the national team is laudable,” said Kaleem.

 Aadil hoped that other players would also get chances in foreign leagues. “Playing in better environment and better players certainly adds to the experience and the more footballers play in foreign leagues the better will it be for the country,” Aadil said.

 Meanwhile, the PFF chief Makhdoom Faisal Saleh Hayat congratulated Kaleemullah and KRL management for the deal Kaleem has made with Dordoi. “The good strategies of PFF have started producing results,” said Faisal. “This milestone contract will be an example and many will follow it. This is the beginning of a new bright era of football in Pakistan. We also expect such international engagement of another brilliant player Muhammad Adil who is also playing for the same club,” Faisal said.

 PFF secretary Col Ahmed Yar Lodhi also congratulated Kaleem. “This moment had been awaited since long. The contract of Kaleemullah has filled the heart of every football lover in Pakistan with pride. It will certainly start changing the approach of football playing youth of Pakistan.”

 He said that now the eyes of drawing room critics of PFF should open.

 He said that PFF would keep working hard to enhance the players’ capacities to make them a saleable product in the international football market.