“Karachi City’s focus is on 11-a-side football, but if you want to play only futsal, that’s not aligned with our vision. Futsal might be trending, but it doesn’t represent the full scope of football development.” In a country where futsal is gaining popularity, Shahzaib Ahmed thinks the main focus should be 11-a-side football, which is what Karachi City is doing.
Shahzaib Ahmed Khan, the founder of Abdul FC and co-founder of Karachi City FC, is also a UEFA-certified coach. He recently appeared as a guest on the Football Diwane podcast on Sports Side, where he discussed his commitment to transforming the football landscape in Pakistan and creating pathways for aspiring players.
In this podcast, he discusses his journey as the founder of Abdul FC, his coaching philosophy, and the inner workings of Pakistani football. He also reflects on his vision and goals.
Formation Of Abdul FC
Abdul FC started as a passion project for Shahzaib and his friends who were playing football themselves. The club gradually gained recognition at local tournaments. Their good performance also helped them secure sponsorship deals.
When asked the reason behind this Shahzaib is very clear that he does it for his passion and himself.
“I am doing this for myself, not for any organization. It’s for my passion and family.”
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Growth and Achievements of Karachi City
Shahzaib Ahmed Khanis also co-founder of Karachi City FC, highlights the club’s achievements and contributions to Pakistani football in this interview.
Karachi City FC operates multiple academies across the city, with the primary aim of providing quality training for young, aspiring footballers. The club’s key focus is on developing a robust system for grassroots football.
This strategy has paid off as Karachi City recently won the women’s Football championship.
Challenges in Pakistan Football
When talking about challenges in Pakistan Football he stresses the point that there is no proper pathway for youngsters who want to pursue football as a career there are some clubs but those too are in major cities and If someone is not in the major cities they are out of luck they will have to work more than someone who in a major city.
“Until proper leagues like A league, and B league come up, there won’t be a proper path.”
The other point that Shazib emphasized throughout the conversation was that there should be more youth programs there should be engagement at the local level among communities and games should be accessible for everyone.
“To develop football, you have to start at the grassroots level. It’s about creating opportunities for kids who might not have the resources.”
Shahzaib’s Opinion on Women’s Football in Pakistan
Just like men’s football women’s football is also facing challenges in Pakistan like a lack of training facilities and organized pathways for female footballers which hinders their development. He not only points out problems but also informs about the solutions they working on.
He mentioned Karachi City FC’s efforts in building a structured program for women’s football, providing a platform for young girls to play competitively.
Shazib also addresses the often comparison between men’s and women’s Football in Pakistan. He says that the majority believes that Women’s football is better than men’s in Pakistan but he disagrees.
“People often say women’s football is better, but if you look at men’s football, it is much more aggressive and has reached higher levels, especially in international competitions.”
How They Worked During FIFA Ban?
One of the topics discussed was the impact of FIFA’s ban on Pakistan and how Pakistan’s football fraternity worked together in those challenging times. He says although Pakistan was banned. love for the sport was growing.
Shahzaib spoke about the challenges faced due to FIFA’s ban on Pakistan, including halted funding and disrupted league activities. He and his friends kept working even during the ban because they were doing this purely for their passion.
“Even when there was no federation and FIFA funding stopped, we kept working because our commitment to football is beyond just getting a job or recognition.”
Shahzaib’s Coaching Philosophy
Sahazib is a coach and he has some firm beliefs regarding coaching in Pakistan. He is not hesitant about sharing those opinions even if he ruffles some feathers in the process.
Sahzaib criticizes the coaches who do not work actively on the field contrasting them with those who are genuinely involved in player development.
“I am against those people who don’t work. I respect everyone who is involved in the field.”
According to him, consistency is the most important thing and one should work regardless of worrying about job recognition. He appreciates those people who work in the field due to their passion.
“We were working even when there was no federation, and we will continue to work.”
Future Plans and Initiatives
Talking about his future plans Shahzaib told Sports Side that his focus is on long-term goals rather than short-term fixes to the problems.
He is planning to establish an academy to provide a structure for the young players of Karachi. Bridging the gap between futsal and 11-a-side football especially for young players is also part of his ambition.
Shahzaib Ahmed Khan is deeply involved in Pakistani football and has extensive knowledge of the sport’s inner workings in the country. This piece covers most of the conversation, but there’s much more to explore — watch the full episode on our YouTube channel for the complete interview.
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