'I'd like Pakistan to play like Klopp but you need to be realistic'

Nolberto Solano remains a folk hero in Newcastle but now eyes changing the game as a coach in south Asia

- Tusdiq Din

Nolberto Solano has become accustomed to firsts.

He was the first Peruvian to feature in the Premier League after he joined Newcastle in 1998, and the first to play in an FA Cup final the following year. In April 2001 he became the first Premier League player to be sent off by Mike Dean. Now, in the latest stop on a peripatetic coaching journey, the 50-year-old is hoping to lead Pakistan’s men to their first Asian Cup.

After taking the lesser trodden path from Lima to Lahore, Solano faces crucial back-to-back qualifiers for the 2027 tournament against Afghanistan, beginning at home today. Then, in November and March, come visits from Syria and Myanmar, who won the reverse fixtures. Solano, who replaced the Englishman Stephen Constantine as Pakistan’s head coach in July, is clear on his ambitions.

“My first step is that we have to be competitive and not [have] everybody thinking about playing against Pakistan: ‘Three points in the pocket.’ No! We will try to be very competitive. We have to face every challenge in front of us. We have these couple of games - we're working really hard to get Pakistan qualified for the Asian Cup. That will be fantastic for everyone.

“I would like to play like [Jürgen] Klopp, I like [Pep] Guardiola’s style, but you need to be realistic. My philosophy is trying to build a very good team, very good team spirit.

That’s very important to survive, especially when you play in the high level ... We want to work really hard and with all the issues we have got we have to be together.”

Those “issues” are very real. Pakistan has no domestic league structure and the elite facilities Solano has seen during his professional life are not there. In 2001, a private company proposed constructing football stadiums and starting a franchise league with tie-ups to English Premier League clubs. The former England striker Michael Owen acted as its ambassador.