LAHORE - The three-member delegation of Swindon Town Football Club (STFC), comprising Vice Chairman STFC Zavier Austin, Coach Alex Pike and Chris Hull of Sky Sports, met Commissioner Karachi Muhammad Iqbal Memon at his office after their arrival from England to Karachi.
Initially, two players Azlan and Wasim have been selected to join Swindon Town Footbal Club. They have been selected after one year training as per requirement of the international standard of game. This training was imparted by English coach Alex Pike.The idea of providing Karachi’s young talented football players an opportunity to be able to play international level game to be part of world players competitors was conceptualized by Commissioner Karachi Muhammad Iqbal Memon.
In this regard, by the effort of the Commissioner, Swindon Town Football Club was approached and after series of meetings with Zavier Austin, Vice Chairman of STFC, an MoU was signed on February 5, 2022 between the STFC and Karachi FC. The Commissioner is fully committed to patronize the program and personally supervising the implementation of contract undertaken with the Swindon Town Club.He wanted to complete the process of their joining to the STFC and to become a part of world class game.
Under the MoU, training and living expenses during the two-year stay in England will be borne by Swindon Town FC. The selected children have been given English language classes in collaboration with American Cultural Centre to overcome language barrier in receiving training in the UK.“The Karachi youth have all the skills required to compete in world level football competitions and now they will have opportunities to play football at the international level,” Zavier Austin said and added, but there was a long way to go to become a world class player.
Commissioner Karachi M Iqbal Memon said that for the first time, the talented football players of Karachi will get an opportunity to learn and demonstrate their skills according to international standards and requirements at the international level. “One day, we will definitely see these children of Karachi in action in international football competitions,” he added.