PFF names Gohar as Pakistan U-19 coach

LAHORE The Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) has appointed Gohar Zaman of ABL as coach of the U-19 team. The national U-19 team will take on tough nations Iran, Lebanon, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan in the 36th AFC U19 Championship (Group-D) 2009 from December 8-16, the event shifted from Lahore to TBA venue. Gohar, alongwith, Tanveer Ahmed (WAPDA) and Zahid Taj (NBP) are currently controlling the U-19 camp at Lahores Punjab Stadium. It will be Gohars first assignment as coach of a Pakistani Age-Group team. Having assisted Akhtar Mohiuddin during WC Qualifier 2007 against Iraq at Lahore and Damascus and 2008s Pokhara series and second AFC Challenge Cup, he was also assistant to Mohammad Shmlan al Shmlan (Bahrain) during AFC U14 Festival of Football 2006. Gohar completed AFC 'C and 'B Certificate Football Coaching Course at Lahore in year 2002 and 2006 respectively and later on attended FIFA Special Coaching Course 2004 under Jimmy Shoulder (Wales), International Olympic Committee (IOC) Solidarity Technical Course 2008 under Erich Rutemller (Germany) and two PFF Special Refresher Coaching Course under Klaus Stark (Germany) 2007 and George Kottan (Austria) 2009. Among the panel of coaches, who are working under Asian Football Confederation (AFC)s AID-27 Financial Assistance Scheme, Gohar was star of ABL Football team when they won the National Championship thrice and National Football Challenge Cup (NFCC) four times from 1996 to 2002. Gohar appeared in World Cup qualifiers 2001 and two Asian Cups in 1996 and 2000 after wearing the Pakistani color for the first time in Atlanta Olympics 1996 qualifiers. He also represented Pakistan in SAF Games 1993, 1999 tour of England 2001, four-Test Pak-Lanka Series 2002. His last international event was 14th Busan Asian Games 2002. The most terrific moment for NWFPs Gohar, born on 15 December 1972, was 17th World Cup qualifiers when at Beirut, on 17 May 2001, he became the only Pakistani to score hat-trick in FIFAs showpiece event. He completed hat-trick within 13 minutes against Sri Lanka in 3-3 draw.