Farooq Zakirov to lead Maldives futsal team at China tournament

The Maldives national futsal team’s campaign at an international futsal tournament in China next month will be guided by Uzbekistan’s Farooq Zakirov, the coach who led the Maldives to the SAFF Futsal Championship title. PSM News has learned that although Coach Farooq has taken over as national coach, he will not take part in the team’s preparations and will join the team in China. According to the entire futsal community and sports analysts, Farooq has brought revolutionary positive changes to Maldives’ futsal team since taking charge. He strengthened the team, made it play as a team and built a technically strong side. As a result, Maldives lifted the SAFF Futsal Championship trophy for the first time. In the tournament, which featured seven regional countries, Maldives won the gold medal with a record of seven out of seven wins. Maldives won all official matches played under Farooq’s guidance, evidence that he fulfilled the responsibility entrusted to him in the most complete manner. Before taking over as Maldives coach, Farooq was coach of Uzbekistan’s national women’s futsal team. Last year he helped Uzbekistan qualify for the Asian Women’s Futsal Cup held in China and also guided the team at the tournament. He is also coach of Nefchi Futsal Club, which competes in Uzbekistan’s futsal league. Farooq played for the Uzbekistan national futsal team from 2001 to 2008. It is noteworthy that when Farooq was appointed national coach for the SAFF Championship, it was the first time a foreign coach had been appointed for the Maldives national futsal team. At the futsal tournament in China, a total of four countries will take part: Maldives, China, Hong Kong and South Korea. The tournament will be held from the 4th to the 9th of next month.