MODEL TOWN FOOTBALL ACADEMY

Model Town is posh area of Gulberg Town – one of the nine administrative towns of the City-District of Lahore. The attractive Model Town is now talk of Pakistan following the eruption of brilliant Model Town Football Academy (MTFA). Considering Pakistan’s awful standing in FIFA World Ranking, down at 169, the success of Academy is memorable and will ever be remembered in Pakistan’s 61-year soccer history. The man behind the behind the fantastic progress of Academy in soccer-drought country is diehard soccer enthusiast Mian Rizwan Ali.
MTFA is running on the modern scientific lines and made progress on the strong footings within the shortest span of three years, and earned reputation as one of the biggest Academies in World and their news used to appear in several the websites of around the globe.
Model Town Football Club was launched in 1985 while Academy started functioning in 2005. It registered only 25 youths in starting year, hit three-figure mark in 2006 and the numbers of boys went on increasing in 2007 and now it is comprised of 3200 players. A record of some kind if you compare MTFA’s enrolment with other Academies around the world. It is also said that in some sources that MTFA is on brink of World Record as far as enrolment are concerned : their 843 are behind 1000-plus registration of Real Sport Experience's International Football Academy in Brazil’s Agua de Lindoia, near Sao Paulo.

“As a footballer, the best I can do for youths in Pakistan is to give them a platform where they can learn how to play football and make a living out of it. It is my strongly-held belief that Academies play a crucial role in the development of not only football, but also other sports," this is stated by MTFA's President Mian Rizwan Ali while talking during MTFA Kick-off Football Tournament at MTFA Ground.

Mian Rizwan Ali is well-known soccer personality and ardent soccer promoter in Pakistan. Rizwan’s contribution for creating healthy atmosphere is to such an extent that he was also picked as Secretary of Model Town Sports Welfare Foundation (MTSWF) when the Foundation was formed on 28 May 2008 by the sports lovers of Model Town to give solid base to sports and games at Model Town. He was manager of Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) XI in the First E.K. Nayanar Memorial Gold Cup 2007, being organized in the South of India in Kerala. He also acted as Match Commissioner during PFF’s top two events - Pakistan Premier League and PFF League.
MTFA had not sat back and launched Women Wing from 14 April 2008 after a successful Academy for boys that catches the eyes of millions around the world. The Women Wing is also in progress under qualified, educated ladies coaches and it attracted the Residents of Model Town and the little girls and the interest was geared up so much that a big flock is daily routine around the Ground.
“It is my pleasure to inform you that we are running Model Town Football Club and Academy – both with success. The Model Town Football Club produced numerous international football players. The way Model Town Football Club progressed, as the game of football became popular in the locality the parents pressed hard to establish an academy for providing skills to their children to learn the art of football in a professional and organized manner, so that they are groomed to level of professional footballers.”

We upset the calculation book in 2007 when PFF had asked our club to participate in their Calendar event – National U18 Championship - and we proved our worth by finishing fourth on debut. The Academy earned reputation as one of the most populated Academies. The services of highly-qualified and Asian Football Confederation (AFC) certified Coaches have been acquired for training the kids of the Academy. Chaudhry Muhammad Asghar, Muhammad Waseem, David Gill, Akhtar Saeed Khan, Fayyaz Siddique, Daniel Gil, Naseem, Nadeem Sarwar are imparting training to future stars,” said Rizwan who is attached with Model Town Club since club’s birth and played for them for 23 years.
Trainees are scouted through a systematic talent identification process before being given the chance to develop their skills under well-reputed coaches in the country. With teams at four Age-groups from Age four to Under-18, the MTFA represents the future of Pakistani football. MTFA used to run MTFA Summer Camp for males and females regularly. The first two met big success in 2006, 2007 and third edition, commenced on 9 June 2008, is comprized of 160 kids and it will conclude on 24 August 2008.
Housed in C & D Block Soccer Ground at Lahore’s famous Model Town, the entire operation is geared towards producing players of outstanding football ability as well as aiding their physiological, psychological and academic growth.

Rizwan added : “We launched MTFA to unearth a new generation of Pakistani footballers. The Academy will cast its net across the whole Lahore and recruit aspiring footballers who shall also be involved in health and social activities. The regular events used to tune the little boys and the interest was geared up so much that these boys and their parents are asking us to conduct more editions.


English Coach Gary Pascoe and UK Physiotherapist Diane Caroline Paradise visited the Academy from 23 June to 6 July 2008 to train the upcoming youngsters. They also met Lahore Nazim Mian Amer Mehmood and said "the future of Model Town Academy is vivid and I was never expecting such a brilliant Academy for soccer in Pakistan. More Academies should erupt from Pakistan soil to take soccer to new height in this part of the world. It will take time, but the way MTFA's head Mian Rizwan Ali is giving his valuable time to Academy it will certainly help Pakistani soccer in future. I would like to see more Academies around the country to support MTFA”
"It's one of the best soccer Academies I had seen around the globe. I enjoyed coaching to boys and girls in the colorful Academy running on strong footing and the people of Pakistan, Lahore and in particular, Model Town, are lucky that they have such a brilliant soccer love gentleman in the shape of Mian Rizwan who is well on the move to change the fortune of Pakistan soccer," said Pascoe, well known coach of Wendron United, who completed UEFA A- License (Prep Course) and has acquired UEFA "B" Coaching License and Child Protection Certificate.

He appreciated the way Rizwan handle Academy and said that several questions were in his mind after he was called for the visit, but he was surprised by the strong-base and working of MTFA, summing up "It is job well done".

"The arrival of Pascoe is a big morale booster for the MTFA management and its coaching staff. His presence allowed the players to gain latest innovations in soccer. I hope that more and more high-profile European coaches like Pascoe will pay visits to the MTFA which represents the future of Pakistani football and it is fine opportunity for our boys and girls to become fine footballers with total ambition to serve their city and the country and involve themselves in nation-building through soccer,"said Mian Amer Mahmood who is also MTFA Chairman and was PFF Treasurer in past.
"It is time for POA and PSB, PFF to come forward and make grand plan under Mian Rizwan Ali to launch atleast one such Academy in all districts, if Pakistan want to do something in this great game." summed up by Amer Mehmood who presented souvenirs to Pascoe on behalf of people of Lahore and thanked him for the visit of Pakistan's great city Lahore.
Model Town Football Club/Academy have been visited by the delegates of International repute,and officials of FIFA, AFC and PFF from time to time. The standard of MTFC/MTFA can be gauged from the remarks made by Holger Obermann, FIFA Technical Advisor and German Coach from Germany, who conducted a PFF Football Coaching Clinic at MTFA on 10th March, 2007. He stated “The future of Model Town Football Club/Academy is vivid and I was never expecting such a brilliant Academy for Soccer in Pakistan. I have seen this kind of Academy in Europe only.” These remarks & the visit were widely covered in the print media. It was also a big morale booster for the MTFC/MTFA management & its coaching staff.
Model Town Football Club Ground is well maintained, decorated and floodlights have been also arranged for training purposes. This Ground has been used by the famous Clubs of Asia for training purposes and also the football team of Iraq carried out the practice session at the same ground for participation in the Qualifier round for the World Cup to be held in 2010.
In order to promote football further in Pakistan, MTFC/MTFA are also publishing monthly “Football Fairplay” magazine which is catching the eyes of million readers throughout the world.
Finally, the quotes of Gary Pascoe and Caroline written in MTFA Visitors Book. Gary says : “ It is first class Football academy giving fantastic opportunity for the young footballers of Pakistan. This academy is very nice with excellent, dedicated staff. MTFA is one of the best academies that I have seen and it is a big credit to Mian Rizwan Ali and his team. I hope the academy will be given the support as it desires to expand and grow. The development of the women’s section is very important as women’s football is one of the fastest growing sports in the world . This type of dedication to the young players of Pakistan shows the passion that is feel throughout the club. Well done to all involved. I will return to MTFA and will be honoured to be involved with its development in the future and hope to continue to provide as much help and support to Rizwan and his team of coaches. They all show great dedication and a willingness to learn and improved their coaching techniques . This kind of attitude will enable a strong foundation to be built which I am sure will proved fantastic opportunities for the players of all ages and abilities throughout Pakistan. “

Caroline says : “Excellent Academy, beautiful pitch. The staff have looked after our every need and we are most grateful. We have enjoyed working with the youth teams. I have particularly enjoyed working with the ladies teachers. This will not be our last visit to MTFA or Pakistan and we will take home found memories. We will also tell people how wonderful Pakistan people are.”