The Canvas

What more could a football fan in Pakistan for. A televised local league. A daring investment by GEO Super who look to revive, or so to say revitalize the near dead sport of football in Pakistan.

GEO Super was launched in September 2006 to primarily show live boxing and cricket matches on their channel. With the Cricket World Cup coming, they had their fans glue to GEO Super throughout spring.

In their opening ceremony and press conference, the project directors outlined the ambitions and desires behind the Super Football League (SFL). With them were Minister of Sports, and heads from Pakistan Football Federation (PFF). All the parties showed a desire to take the league to utmost international level along the lines of Spanish Primiera Liga, English Premier League and the Italian Serie A.

While the league does not have a web presence at all, you can find on the GEO TV’s web site a mention of the event and beginning of the league matches on 20th July. This is what they had to say,

Besides Lahore and Karachi, the country’s top teams Islamabad United, Quetta Zorawar and Peshawar FC Tribe are featuring in the double league competition.

The basic objective of conducting the championship was to raise the overall standard of the game across the country. Entry into the stadium will be free, the organizers said.

Program of the league:

20 July Karachi v Lahore. 21 July Peshawar v Islamabad. 26 July Quetta v Peshawar. 27 July Islamabad v Karachi. 28 July Peshawar v Lahore. 2 August Karachi v Quetta. 3 August Islamabad v Peshawar. 4 August Lahore v Quetta. 9 August Quetta v Islamabad. 10 August Peshawar v Karachi. 11 August Islamabad v Lahore. 16 August Lahore v Peshawar. 17 August Karachi v Islamabad. 18 August Quetta v Lahore. 23 August Karachi v Peshawar. 24 August Lahore v Islamabad. 25 August Quetta v Karachi. 30 August Islamabad v Quetta. 31 August Lahore v Karachi. 1 September Peshawar v Quetta. 6-7 September Semifinals. 9 September Final. All matches start at 9.00pm.

Since I will be bucking the Islamabad team, I have highlighted the 8 matches Islamabad team will have over the course of next 2 months. Today’s match, Karachi vs Lahore was a slight preview of what was on offer. But as other matches are held one then can one have a better idea of the talent pool in Pakistan. Today, Karachi won 1-0 to Lahore. As said in the Press Release, the entry to the stadiums is free!

Read further on for my views on the match and the match setup!

The skill some of these boys showed was certainly a treat to watch in Pakistan. However, we are quite far from the Maradona’s and Pele’s. They have a lot energy and a lot desire. They are all out athletes that give it all. Sometimes a bit too much, as I got to see some kicking and pushing in the game that went unnoticed by the officials. Anyways, it was a good game.

Yes! There were Cheerleaders too, and not those desi dhol types, proper skirt chicks with pompoms in their hands, jumping around. Although the skirts were a little crushed, longer than usual, and the pompoms were not as fluffy as they should be. They had proper make-up on and as professionals they had real guts to come out like that. I however will not be going to any match for them. They are good girls, but not my type

The Commentary of the entire match was in urdu, and I was shocked at the lack of knowledge these two blokes had. One of them knew too much about football, the other couldn’t even speak Urdu. But then again, you cannot expect them to be your Martin Tylers and Ian Hardy’s, even though one tried to be Andy Gray, but heck, he is as pathetic as the impersonator. I would try to send in my Resume of the position of a commentator on the their matches. Yes, I said Andy Gray because the one who knew too much about the game was supporting his team in every sentence and trying to belittle the other’s efforts when they were clearly controlling the game, huh!

The Setup of the stadium was really nice. There was proper lighting, lines men (ofc), fielders, and yes, mics too near and around the goal posts and corners. I noticed! Anyways, the cameramen could use a little training apart from the sham commentary. The areas and lines were very well marked and in no sense was it looking like a match in Pakistan. Except for those obstructing backs of those cheerleaders.

For me, even a back pass in football is like 3 ml of adrenaline, I love the game, and I WILL enjoy it more in the stadium. Hope I can make it there to report an eye-witness account of Islamabad’s match.