Trials for AFC Under-23 Asian Cup Qualifiers begin in Multan

Trials to shortlist footballers for the AFC Under-23 Asian Cup Qualifiers have started in Multan today.

The trials will continue till Wednesday (tomorrow). Pakistan’s experienced coaches including Gohar Zaman, Mohammad Habib, Mehmood Khan and Jaffar Khan are supervising the trials.

They are, in fact, assisting the newly-hired coach Nolberto Solano who is yet to arrive in Pakistan. Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) will have to register players for the qualifiers until August 4, the deadline set by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

This correspondent has learnt that around 40 to 50 players will be registered for the purpose in order to give ample opportunity to Solano to eventually train and pick the final squad for the Group G qualifiers which will be held in Cambodia in September.

There are 16 such under-23 players, who are also part of the senior national team and they have already been shortlisted for the camp. And, similarly, a few Pakistan Under-19 players have also been inducted into the probables list.

The trials are being been held in a bid to provide all the desirous players an opportunity to press for Pakistan team slots.

Nukta has learnt that Solano needs speedy players who can play box to box which also reflects his football career while representing Peru in international circuit and Premier League club Newcastle United.

In the qualifiers Pakistan will start their journey with their opener against Iraq on September 3, followed by their matches against hosts Cambodia on September 6 and Oman on September 9.

Time is too short for building a solid side at a time when a new coach will be handling the brigade.

Solano will scan the probables during training camp as he is off-hand as far as Pakistan’s football is concerned and will only know the situation when he will take charge of the lot eventually.

Because of the absence of local events, particularly the Premier League, Pakistan mostly relied on foreign-based players during the last ten years.

And still ample time will be needed to build quality home-grown players for national duty as the newly-elected PFF under its supremo Mohsin Gilani plans to revive domestic football. The PFF also wants a standard league in future which will be the panacea for all Pakistan’s football issues.

PFF also faces an uphill task relating to its financial aspects which is direly needed to settle if camp is held at a right time. Nukta has learnt that the federation is in consultation with FIFA and AFC for making an alternative arrangement relating to financial transaction which will help it to streamline its operations.

Its own account case will be heard in September. The 44 sides have been drawn into 11 groups for the Qualifiers which will be contested on September 1-9, 2025.

The 11 group winners and four best best-ranked runners-up will join Saudi Arabia, who are hosting the tournament for the first time in January's Finals.

Group A will see Jordan (hosts), Turkmenistan, Chinese Taipei and Bhutan vying for the automatic ticket to the Finals while two-time champions Japan, Kuwait, Myanmar (hosts) and Afghanistan will square off in Group B.

Vietnam (hosts) lead the Group C cast with Yemen, Singapore and Bangladesh also hoping to advance while Australia, China PR (hosts), Timor-Leste and Northern Mariana Islands will battle it out in Group D.

Group E saw 2018 winners Uzbekistan, Palestine, Kyrgyz Republic (hosts) and Sri Lanka being drawn together while Thailand (hosts), Malaysia, Lebanon and Mongolia are the Group F cast.

Inaugural champions Iraq will fancy their chances in Group G but Cambodia (hosts), Oman and Pakistan stand in their way while Group H will see Qatar (hosts), Bahrain, India and Brunei Darussalam jostling for the coveted automatic spot to the Finals.

Group I is set for exciting battles with UAE (hosts), Islamic Republic of Iran, Hong Kong, China and Guam drawn together, Group J will see 2020 champions Korea Republic, Indonesia (hosts), Laos and Macau challenging each other while Group K features Tajikistan (hosts), Syria, Philippines and Nepal.