SAFF Championship: Easah Suliman and Otis Khan — the diaspora footballers determined to prop up Pakistan

New challenge: The duo of Easah Suliman and Otis Khan will be looking forward to take Pakistan football ahead.
| Photo Credit: K. MURALI KUMAR

Pakistan’s two SAFF Championship outings thus far have laid bare the harsh realities. The identical 4-0 thrashings from hosts India and Kuwait have not only ended its tournament prematurely but also revealed how far it is from even mid-level Asian football.

Two young men, however, want to change that – the England-born duo of Easah Suliman and Otis Khan, both of whom secured clearances in May to play for the country of their grandparents and are in India for their first FIFA-recognised tournament. For Pakistan, which has been twice suspended by FIFA in the last six years and doesn’t have a robust domestic football structure, they are a breath of fresh air.

Suliman, a product of the Aston Villa academy, was the first player of Asian heritage to captain an English football team, leading the national side at the U-16, U-17 and U-19 levels. The 25-year-old won the U-19 Euros (2017), playing alongside the likes of Aaron Ramsdale, Reece James and Mason Mount, all top-draw Premier League players currently.

Otis, 27, came through the Manchester United academy, where he was in the youth teams (2002-2012). Now, he is at Grimsby Town, in the fourth tier of English football. Otis also has an Indian connection; his grandfather was born in Delhi before moving to Faisalabad. Though his heart lies in Pakistan, he hopes to play in the Indian Super League one day.

“I felt this was the right time to bring my knowledge and experience,” says Otis. “In Pakistan, the No. 1 sport is cricket, so most kids go there. But when more foreign players come into the team, it helps the locals. We have got players playing in Portugal, Denmark and England. And all I have been doing is to give my knowledge.”

Suliman, the more pedigreed of the two, couldn’t make the progression from England juniors to seniors. But he wants to play a transformational role in Pakistan, drawing inspiration from English cricketer Moeen Ali, a fellow Birmingham resident who is also of Pakistani origin.

“I have met him many times and we are quite close,” Suliman says. “Anyone who plays sport in our city looks up to him. He was part of the IPL-winning team recently (Chennai Super Kings), and is back in the Ashes team. [It] shows that irrespective of your origin, you can achieve at the highest level.”

The SAFF Championship may have come a tad early for the duo, but Otis has his eyes set on the World Cup qualifiers in October. “Pakistan hasn’t ever won one, so that is a big goal,” he says. “If we win that, it will bring a lot more games, investment and funding. It’s a new team and we are trying our best.”