Shahzad Anwar

Shahzad Anwar
Personal information
Full name Shahzad Anwar
Date of birth (1978-04-26) 26 April 1978 (age 46)
Place of birth Sargodha, Pakistan
Managerial career
Years Team
2008 Pakistan (caretaker)
2013 Pakistan (caretaker)
2013–2014 Pakistan Air Force
2020 POPO FC
2021 Pakistan Air Force
2022 SKA Brasil U20
2022–2023 Pakistan
2023 Pakistan U23
2023– POPO FC

Shahzad Anwar (born 26 April 1978)[1] is a Pakistani football manager who is the current head coach of POPO FC.

Anwar began his coaching career in 1997 at a local school in Sargodha, subsequently enrolling in certificate coaching courses provided by the Pakistan Football Federation.[2] He made his way into the Pakistan national team, initially as a caretaker manager in 2008, before assuming the position of head coach in 2022. He was also named the PFF Technical Director in 2015.[3] He is the first coach in Pakistan football to hold an AFC Pro-License.[2]

Career

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Anwar began his coaching career in 1997 at a local school in Sargodha and then took certificate coaching courses offered by the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF).[2]

He took over the charge of the Pakistan national team as the caretaker manager in 2008 for the 4–1 friendly defeat against Malaysia.[4][5]

He was forced into the caretaker role again in the 2013 SAFF Championship, winning one game, losing one and drawing one as Pakistan exited the group stage.[6]

At the end of 2013, Anwar was appointed as head coach of Pakistan Air Force FC. Under Anwar, PAF ended up in fourth position in the 2013–14 Pakistan Premier League season,[7] and ended up champions in the 2014 National Football Challenge Cup.[8] Anwar stepped down as coach of PAF in July 2014.

He was named the PFF Technical Director in 2015, but kept the job on hold in order to work on receiving his AFC Professional Coaching Diploma, the certification being an equivalent of the UEFA Pro License.[3]

He became Pakistan’s first AFC Pro-License coach in 2017 after completing his last step, following a six-month internship at Brazil’s Nacional Atletico Clube in São Paulo.[3] He subsequently continued serving as PFF Technical Director in 2018.[9]

After being deprived of the chance to coach the under 23 side of Al Sadd by the Pakistan Football Federation in 2020, Anwar was hired by Islamabad club POPO FC.[10] POPO made its professional debut in the 2020 PFF National Challenge Cup. The club impressed as a youth club, winning by 2-1 against Saif Tex in their first match. The club exited the tournament finishing third in the group stage.[11]

In 2021, he returned to Pakistan air force to coach the side in the 2021–22 Pakistan Premier League, which was cancelled shortly after starting.[12]

In 2022, POPO developed a partnership with Futebol Clube SKA Brasil, where two of the players from the squad, Waleed Khan and Mohammad Rizwan joined the under 20 side of the Brazilian club on a temporary basis along with Anwar as coach.[13][14][15]

In November 2022, he assumed his role as the official head coach for a friendly against Nepal, Pakistan's first fixture in nearly three-and-a-half years because of the Pakistan Football Federation's suspension by FIFA.[16] The friendly was eventually lost by 1–0, in a late minute goal.[17] He also managed the under 23 team in the 2024 AFC U-23 Asian Cup qualification, handling the squad as goalkeeping coach, manager and physio in their preparation due to the lack of facilities.[18]

Anwar was replaced with Stephen Constantine after losing eight of eight games with the national team, and returned to POPO FC as head coach at the end of 2023.[19]

Honours

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Pakistan Air Force

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References

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  1. ^ "Shahzad Anwar (Coach)". www.national-football-teams.com.
  2. ^ a b c Raheel, Natasha (2017-01-02). "Shahzad Anwar to become Pakistan's first AFC Pro-Licence coach". The Express Tribune.
  3. ^ a b c Raheel, Natasha (2015-10-10). "First from the country: Shahzad on the verge of pro coaching licence". The Express Tribune.
  4. ^ "Nasir Ismail appointed head coach of U-14 football team". DAWN.COM. 2008-04-03. Retrieved 2023-05-20.
  5. ^ "Malaysia outclass Pakistan in friendly". DAWN.COM. 2008-10-11. Retrieved 2023-05-20.
  6. ^ Wasim, Umaid (2013-09-01). "Pakistan take on India in SAFF Championship's biggest draw". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 2023-05-20.
  7. ^ "A flawed league | Sports | thenews.com.pk". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 2024-05-30.
  8. ^ "Good, but not good enough | Sports | thenews.com.pk". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 2024-05-30.
  9. ^ "PFF Director Technical Shehzad vows to do his best". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 2024-05-30.
  10. ^ "Shehzad deprived of chance to work for Qatar's Al-Sadd SC". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 2024-05-30.
  11. ^ Sohail, Shahrukh (2022-02-06). "FOOTBALL: THE DREAMS OF POPO FC". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 2024-05-30.
  12. ^ "PPFL to begin in Multan from August 14". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 2024-05-30.
  13. ^ "Former Pak football coach to join Brazilian club". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 2024-05-30.
  14. ^ "Shehzad to coach Brazilian football club". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 2024-05-30.
  15. ^ "Goalie Basit inks deal with football club in Maldives". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 2024-05-30.
  16. ^ "Nepal eye win against Pakistan in football friendly". kathmandupost.com. Retrieved 2023-05-20.
  17. ^ "Bista's late strike fires Nepal to victory against Pakistan". kathmandupost.com. Retrieved 2023-05-20.
  18. ^ "Pak Under-23 players facing host of issues". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 2024-05-30.
  19. ^ "PFF names Stephen Constantine head coach of men's national team". www.geosuper.tv. Retrieved 2024-05-30.
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