ISLAMABAD: The British High Commission announced on Friday a football club delegation from England arrived in Karachi’s impoverished Lyari neighborhood to hone the skill of local players and look for hidden talent in the area.
The development came after England’s Swindon Town Football Club (STFC) signed an agreement with Pakistan Football Federation last year in February before establishing a sports academy in the seaside metropolis.
Since then, the club has been coaching Pakistani players to help them participate in international football tournaments.
“Transcending boundaries [and] creating ties through [football]! [UK-based] @Official_STFC has been training [Pakistan’s] Karachi FC,” the British High Commission said in a Twitter post. “Will they find the next football star in Lyari?”
Asked about his experience in Pakistan, STFC coach Alex Pike said the welcome he received was “fantastic.”
“I didn’t think it would get any better than the welcome that I had previously,” he added. “But again, Pakistan and Karachi have outdone [themselves] with the welcome that I’ve received [this time].”
Pike informed the coaching program the club was running in Pakistan was in line with the one at Swindon Town Academy.
“Throughout the week, we will look to go after some technical practices and will also look to go after some game-based and some pitch practices,” he continued.
Following the delegation’s visit, Karachi FC coach Zubair Ghulam Rasool is expected to fly to England to play with the club for 12 days and receive further training.
Karachi FC captain Muhammad Azaan said it was his dream to play for a big team in England.
“I want to play for Swindon Town FC because I have many dreams and I want to be a big player,” he told the high commission in a video.
Once synonymous with gang violence and poverty, Karachi’s Lyari neighborhood is widely known for its football-crazy residents.
