Former Newcastle United and Peru winger Nolberto Solano has taken on the role of head coach of the Pakistan men's national football team, with the ambitious goal of qualifying for the Asian Cup for the first time. The 50-year-old, who replaced Englishman Stephen Constantine in July, faces a challenging start with back-to-back qualifiers against Afghanistan, Syria, and Myanmar.
Solano acknowledges the difficulties, including the absence of a domestic league structure and limited facilities, but remains optimistic. 'I would like to play like Klopp, I like Guardiola's style, but you need to be realistic,' he said. 'My philosophy is building a very good team spirit. That's very important to survive, especially at the high level.'
The Peruvian tactician plans to draw on Pakistan's diaspora, scouting heritage players in England, Denmark, and Norway, as well as local talent. 'If you search a little bit, especially in England, there's a lot of young boys in League One and League Two,' he noted. 'A lot of boys want to come to Pakistan. We will try to select the best players from around the world.'
Pakistan has faced three Fifa suspensions in the past four years, hindering development. Solano, on an initial one-year contract, credits federation president Mohsen Gilani for his positivity and vision. 'He wants to change football in Pakistan,' Solano said. 'It's completely different, but I like the challenge. We can do it.'
Solano's coaching journey has taken him to Peru, Canada, Sweden, and England's non-league circuit. He stresses the need for professionalism from the top, with a domestic league as a priority. 'We hear about Cambodia, Oman, Vietnam – they go professionally,' he said. 'Pakistan needs to improve a lot to compete.'
