Constantine set to coach Pak again

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The Pakistan Football Federation has decided to reappoint Stephen Constantine as the head coach of the national team for the upcoming AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers.

While an official announcement is yet to be made, the decision comes as Pakistan gears up for the third round of the qualifiers, marking a crucial phase in the country's footballing journey.

However, according to reports, Constantine has been asked for coaching role only for the AFC Asian Cup qualifier match against Syria. A decision for long term appointment will be made at a later stage.

"He is coming only for this qualifier (vs Syria). We don't have enough time for any change so we asked Stephen to come back for this match," a PFF official said.

Constantine previously managed the Pakistan team from 2023 to 2024. During his first stint with Pakistan team, the Shaheens managed to win the FIFA World Cup qualifier match against Cambodia and for the first time ever in history, qualified for the second round of qualifiers – though couldn't' proceed beyond that, but team showed remarkable improvement during his tenure.

Stephen Constantine is a familiar name in Asian football, having managed several national teams across the continent, including India and Nepal.

He is best known for his two successful tenures with the Indian national team, where he significantly improved India's FIFA ranking and developed young talent.

The PFF, according to sources, has also confirmed Pakistan's participation in the third round of the AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers, a major step forward following the lifting of FIFA's suspension,

Pakistan's first match in the qualifiers is scheduled for March 25, 2024, against Syria.

The match, Syria's home game, will be held in Saudi Arabia. According to sources, Constantine is set to take charge of the team for this crucial fixture.

Earlier, The International Federation of Football Association (FIFA) lifted the ban on the PFF after the local body made desired constitutional amendments.

As per details, the top football governing body revoked the suspension after the PFF approved its proposed constitutional amendments in an Extraordinary Congress last week. Member of the PFF Normalisation Committee (NC) Shahid Khokhar confirming the development thanked FIFA and Asian Football Confederation (AFC) for their constant support towards Pakistan.

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