“Football Is About Opportunity, No Excuses”: Nolberto Solano Ahead of Pakistan’s SAFF Clash With India

Pakistan head coach Nolberto Solano addressed the media in a press conference before the team left for Dhaka, Bangladesh, for the SAFF Championship, where they play India and Maldives in Group B. A little over a year into the job, he talked about the India game, a squad without its overseas players, fitness, and what Pakistani football needs next.

He opened with a warning that the tournament will not be easy. “Every competition is really tough for us, so we're looking forward to starting it.”

On the team he has built, he said:

“My first interviews were about building a team, a very strong side. I think we are not far away from what we would like it to be, but still a very competitive team.”

The first game is against India on Thursday, and Solano knows what a rivalry means. He grew up with one in South America.

“I know how special it is to play against India in all sports. I used to play in South America. We used to have rivals as well. Peru and Chile is massive.”

He said Pakistan respect whatever side India send, even with the rumours that it is not their first team. He kept politics out of it.

“It's a special game for all the football fans. Please, it's only a simple game. We're looking forward to win the match and make happy all the football fans here in Pakistan.”

Asked how he will stop the players losing their heads, after the 4-0 defeat in 2023 and the red cards that came with it, he was clear.

“We have to separate the emotion. You have to battle, but don't get me wrong, play football. With the ball we have to score goals. No punching, no fighting, no pulling. It's a football match, so we have to prove how we improve.”

He also urged them to treat the game like a final: “Imagine in your head, with your mindset, you have to win it as a final.”

The squad is missing its overseas players. FIFA rules mean Pakistan cannot call up the diaspora players at the start of the tournament, so the team is mostly local players. Solano said:

“At the moment we don't have the full squad. You will see it's a lot of local boys.”

He refused to make it an excuse.

“Football is about opportunity, no excuses. We have to be strong. We have to change the mentality, because the level you play in your local or domestic leagues is completely different when you play an international tournament. It's another level.”

Clubs not releasing players for the first match also raises the question of tactics. He said the shape will change with the players available.

“It depends on the moment, which players we have available. We can play four-four-two. We can play four-three-three. It all depends who we face, because these boys are intelligent enough to change the system.”

His main plan is to stay solid. He pointed to captain Abdullah Iqbal and attacker Ali, who both play in Sweden, as experienced diaspora players, and to the Maldives tournament as proof the plan works.

“The strategy is not conceding goals. We played the tournament without conceding a goal. That was the key.”

He also looked back at the ASEAN Cup, where Pakistan lost 4-0 to Thailand, and said he was still happy with how the team competed.

“It's only small details in football. The game is not only played for half an hour, twenty minutes. The game is ninety minutes. We need to be strong, solid from the first minute until the last minute.”

He is not fully happy with the team's fitness, and he explained why.

“I'm not a hundred percent satisfied about the fitness, because we understand the issues for some players. When they finish with the national team, they normally go back to the clubs and start training and playing at the weekends. But here it's a little bit of a different scenario for most of our players.”

The fix, he said, is competition and proper preparation.

“Most of these players never had a preseason in their life. Preseason is a key. I used to do preseason when I was fourteen, fifteen years old, every year, because it's the main important moment in your career.”

There was good news for Pakistani fans too. He said there are talks of a professional league.

“It's a rumour, but it's good news. Maybe Pakistan will have a professional league sooner, maybe next year. That's great news for everyone. Fingers crossed that it will happen.”

He believes clubs and youth structure matter most. Pakistan, he said, has the talent.

“You have the talent. I've been playing football all my life and coaching for the last ten, fifteen years. You have talent, but these young boys need help. What do I mean by help? Structure. I hope in the future the clubs look after the young kids. They need good instruction, good training, good preparation if you want to achieve anything.”

He also pointed to how India got where they are.

“The difference between India and you is that India started playing professional football twenty years ago. That's why they have a little bit of results now.”

On cricket's place in the country, he said:

“I know cricket here is huge. We will never change that. But at least we try to get good results, get everybody together, get sponsors together to support the federation. Believe me, you have a great future here, with great talents in the youth team.”

He also looked ahead to the South Asian Games, which Pakistan will host next year. The plan is to use under-23 players.

“I think we can participate with under-twenty-three players, and we're allowed to use three over-age players from the senior team.”

On the main question, whether Pakistan can win the SAFF Championship, he kept his answer simple.

“Win is the best satisfaction you can have as a footballer. It's a great opportunity for the boys to make happy again your nation.”

He closed by taking it one game at a time.

“The first step is qualifying for the semifinals. The first final we have is on Thursday against India. The second final is Maldives.”