Sami Kashif is an extremely versatile player who can fit like a ‘hand in a glove’ in Stephen Constantine’s system. The 17-year-old can play in three different positions but his main strengths are in the right-back and right wing-back positions, where he commands hold and has shown class with his performances at youth level.
Blocking passing lanes, closing down the channels, and when to bombard forward with the ball to help the attack are his main traits. He can cover every blade of grass on the right wing if required.
The Deportivo Alaves youth player was born in Sialkot and traveled to Spain in his infancy. With Pakistani-Spanish origin, Sami Kashif would be eligible to play for the Shaheens if he wishes to.
He has been part of the club since 2018 and is currently playing in the Under-19 team of Alaves. As a player he can also operate as a left winger in the ‘front 3’.
Pakistan is in desperate need of a solid right back who can also provide attacking support. The role of modern fullbacks these days is more like an attacking enforcer who helps in a ‘front five’ or a ‘front six’ during possession in the final third territory.
In Pakistan’s 4-4-2 system, Sami can play the role of an attacking full-back from the right-hand side and can operate as a right wing-back if Stephen Constantine ever goes down the route of playing a ‘back three’.
With his addition, Pakistan can find a balance between defensive and attack transition with the profile of Sami Kashif as he understands the intrinsic details of when to attack a space and when to drop deep into defensive zones.
A player learning his traits in a La Liga youth academy is bound to have better experience and tactical awareness than the local talent. Considering he is only 17, the player can develop to another level in two to three years.
With a good right foot on him, he can create passing angles as well and has the vision to whip in dangerous crosses from the flanks which find the striker or a target man. This makes him a superior alternative to the candidates Pakistan currently has in the pecking order for right-back positions.
In terms of youth development, Pakistan is struggling as a nation with no proper facilities, high-caliber academies, or a local league. It is almost impossible to extract talent from this kind of footballing structure in place.
Hence, it is evident that a boy who plays week in and week out in La Liga’s youth academy, which is one of the top two domestic leagues in the world, will elevate Pakistan football to another level and help the team deliver results.