Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Karachi: Pakistan champions K-Electric have boosted their squad ahead of the 2016 AFC Cup play-off qualifiers by enlisting English FA-qualified coach Majid Shafiq and former Pakistan youth internationals Shani Abbasi and Irfan Khan, who have experience of playing in the lower leagues of English football.
Coach Majid Shafiq was a former Director of the academy at Stalybridge Celtic while Sheffield Wednesday youth academy product Shani Abbasi, who also had trials with Huddersfield Town, and Irfan Khan, who played for semi-professional sides Thackley United and Bradford Park Avenue, represented Pakistan at under 21 and 23 levels.
“We’re getting a coach and two players from England along with two others from Nigeria because we just don’t want to participate, we want to win,” K-Electric’s Head of Sports Marketing and Brand Activation Zabe Khan told The Express Tribune.
“Shafiq is willing to help us without charging a single penny, while Shani and Irfan are both of Pakistani origin, so it would be handy to have footballers who know what it’s like to play both in England and Pakistan.”
K-Electric, who denied 2013 AFC President’s Cup runners-up KRL a fourth consecutive Pakistan Premier League crown with their maiden triumph in the 2014/15 competition, open their campaign to reach the 2016 AFC Cup play-offs on August 11 when they face Group A hosts Druk United before taking on Mongolia’s Khormkhon two days after their meeting with the Bhutanese champions.