Pakistan football is going through one of its worst phases due to a myriad of reasons, but in former captain Otis Khan’s view, a lot can be improved by taking a simple step.
In a recent episode of the ProSports Podcast, Otis Khan revealed how the sport can be improved in the country. Otis called for a revival of local football through a strong, competitive national league, as he believes a well-organised domestic tournament is the key to growing Pakistan’s football standards and giving young players a real chance.
The last national football league in Pakistan, known as the Pakistan Premier League, ran a stop-start schedule until 2018 before it was suspended indefinitely amid organisational challenges that have only just subsided. Since then, domestic football has largely disappeared, which has had a direct impact on the national team’s performance.
Khan, speaking openly on the podcast, said: “I think everyone knows that if we can bring the league, that will be a major, major step. You have to keep fighting for it because people don’t realise how important it is, or they do and they are not doing much to fix this. It is the most important part to fixing the football. If you can get a good sustainable system in place, then all the players from the departments can come together,” he said.
The new PFF administration has also kept establishing a national league at the forefront of its agenda, but getting the project off the ground may take some time.
Pakistan is already falling behind local competitors in the football arena, and by pushing for a fresh, properly run local league, Otis Khan believes Pakistan can reignite interest in football, improve player quality, and slowly climb back onto Asia’s competitive radar.
For now, his message is clear: no league, no progress.
