St Pat’s join initiative to bring Pakistani players to Europe

ST PATRICK’S Athletic have teamed up with Global Soccer Ventures (GSV) to provide a route into professional soccer in Europe for young Pakistani players.

UEFA Pro-licensed coaching staff from the Inchicore club will embark on a nationwide coaching and talent hunt programme in Pakistan, starting in the nine cities of Islamabad, Muzaffarabad, Peshawar, Lahore, Multan, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Quetta, Sukkur and Karachi.

The initiative, which has been endorsed by Michael Owen, will see up to 20 players, aged from 18-21 years, afforded the opportunity to travel to Dublin to train and play with the St Pat’s academy and potentially first team. 

UEFA-licensed coaching staff Karel Fraeye (Belgium) and Sandro Gianisella (Italy), under the St Patrick’s Athletic banner, will arrive in Islamabad to kick off the national trials. 

Former Ireland and St Pat’s manager Brian Kerr along with ex-St Pat’s player and manager Johnny McDonnell, current Academy Director and former League and Cup-winning captain Ger O’Brien and Assistant Academy Director Jamie Moore will also travel to Pakistan as part of the St Pat’s coaching team.

“When I first heard about this project through St Pat’s I was excited and eager to be involved” said Kerr.

“I have no doubt that there is a lot of untapped talent in Pakistan and we are hoping to find, nurture and develop that talent with a view to benefitting the players and ultimately the footballing nation of Pakistan.” 

Michael Owen echoed those sentiments saying “It is a great privilege to be working with Pakistani talent and offering a professional talent ID programme in Pakistan for the very first time.”