Tuesday, 16th July, 2013
Fulham’s new owner Shahid Khan could do well to look at the country of his origin for prospective players, according to the Pakistan Football Federation’s marketing director Sardar Naveed Haider.
Khan is of Pakistani origin but made his fortune in the United States, and is the current owner of NFL franchise the Jacksonville Jaguars.
He has expanded his empire to include Fulham Football Club, after owner Mohamed Al Fayed passed on the mantle last week.
Fulham have seen a Pakistani-origin player in their ranks before, when Zesh Rehman enjoyed a two-year spell between 2004 and 2006, and who then went on to represent the country despite being born in England.
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And Haider told the AFP: "We are trying to make contact with [Khan] to request him to come to Pakistan and see the burgeoning talent in the country and give them an opportunity to be groomed at the Fulham academy.
"We definitely have talent at our disposal. Look at our structure in which our Under-14 and Under-16 teams are doing well", he said. "We won the South Asian Under-16 title in Nepal in 2011 and will defend it later this month.
"If Khan can send his scouts to Pakistan, who can then have a look at our talent and provide them with a facility at Fulham, it would be a great help and the boys are excited at the prospect.
"It is very exciting for the football fraternity here that a Pakistani now owns a top [Premier League] club and we wish that under his ownership Fulham becomes a successful team."
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