Qayyum Changezi Explained

Qayyum Changezi
Fullname:Abdul Qayyum Ali Khan Changezi[1]
Birth Date:25 December 1935
Birth Place:Quetta, British India
Death Place:Quetta, Pakistan
Position:Forward
Youthclubs1:Hazara Club Quetta
Years1:1950
Clubs1:Hazara Club Quetta
Nationalyears1:1955–1960
Nationalteam1:Pakistan
Nationalcaps1:??
Nationalgoals1:??
Years2:1950s
Clubs2:Karachi Kickers
Years3:1950s
Clubs3:Karachi Mohammedan
Years4:1953–1959
Clubs4:Balochistan
Years5:1956
Clubs5:Hazara Club Quetta
Years6:1960s
Clubs6:Quetta
Years7:1960s
Clubs7:Faisalabad
Years8:1963
Clubs8:Dhaka Mohammedan
Years9:1963–1965
Clubs9:Railways
Manageryears1:1977
Managerclubs1:Shaheen FC
Nationalteam2:East Pakistan Sports Board XI
Nationalyears2:1963

Abdul Qayyum Ali Khan Changezi (Urdu: ; 25 December 1935 – 25 June 2005), commonly known as Qayyum Changezi, was a Pakistani footballer who played as a forward. Considered as one of the earliest legends in Pakistan football history, he was known for his leadership, free kicks, and goal-scoring abilities.[2] [3]

Early life

Belonging to the ethnic Hazara community, Changezi was born in Quetta in the Baluchistan Agency of British India on 25 December 1935.[4] [5] [6] [7]

Club career

Nicknamed "Papa", Changezi played as a left back, forward or winger.

He developed an interest in football while attending high school, playing for Hazara Club Quetta in his youth until making his senior debut in 1950.[8] [9] In the 1950s, he toured in club tournaments in Iran and India with Karachi Kickers and Karachi Mohammedan, and in 1956 again with Karachi Kickers and Hazara Club.

Changezi started playing in the National Football Championship from 1953 and was a member of the Balochistan team that won the title in 1956 by defeating Pakistan Railways in Karachi on 11 November 1956, where he scored one goal in the final 2–1 victory, and was declared player of the year.[10]

Later on in 1959 under his captainship, Balochistan defeated East Pakistan in Hyderabad on 7 November 1959, achieving their second league title. In the same tournament, he scored 6 goals in the 9–0 victory against Sindh Green. When the football league structure in Pakistan transitioned from provincial to district based clubs, he subsequently represented Quetta, Railways and Faisalabad. Under his captainship, Railways ended up in the second position in 15th and 16th National Championship in 1963 and 1965, after falling twice to Karachi, in the finals held in the cities of Karachi and Peshawar respectively. In 1963, Changezi represented Dhaka Mohammedan winning the Dhaka League and finishing top scorer of the tournament with 24 goals.

International career

Changezi made his international debut with the Pakistan national team during the 1955 Colombo Cup. In his debut match, Changezi scored a hat-trick including two penalty goals against Burma, becoming the second Pakistani player to do so after Masood Fakhri.[11]

In 1959, Pakistan first participated in the 1960 Asian Cup qualifiers hosted by India in Kerala. Under the captainship of Changezi, Pakistan faced Iran, India and Israel twice each in the qualifiers. Although Israel managed to qualify by topping the group, Pakistan achieved a memorable victory over Iran by 4–1 and secure a draw against Israel, finishing in third place in the group, ahead of hosts India but behind Iran.[12] Changezi also participated in various friendly tournaments, including the Merdeka Cup hosted in Malaysia after the country first participation in 1960.[13] Under his captaincy,[14] Pakistan recorded some famous victories including a 7–0 walloping of Thailand,[15] and a 3–1 win over then Asian powerhouses Japan.

During a 1963 global tour, Germany's Bundesliga club Fortuna Düsseldorf faced aircraft issues, leading to an unexpected stay in Pakistan. The Pakistan Football Federation invited the club to play friendly matches against select XI teams from East and West Pakistan. Fortuna enthusiastically accepted, competing against teams like East Pakistan Sports Board XI in Dacca, which included the veteran Changezi, drawing crowds of thousands.

Managerial career

In 1977, Qayyum was appointed as manager of the Shaheen FC club which toured in the Afghanistan Republic Day Festival Cup in Kabul.[16]

Personal life

His younger cousin Younus Changezi also played for the Pakistan national team from the 1960s till early 1970s, and was later appointed as manager of the national team in the 1980s. In 2003, Qayyum Changezi replaced M.N. Jahan as chairman of the selection committee of the Pakistan Football Federation by Arshad Khan Lodhi, following the newly elected president Faisal Saleh Hayat.[17]

Changezi died on 25 June 2005 due to a heart attack.

Legacy

Highly still praised by the local Hazara community, the Qayyum Papa Stadium in Mari Abad in Quetta is named after him.[18] [19]

Career statistics

International goals

Note: Exact figures of Pakistani players before 1989 are not yet known and yet to be researched. Below are goals recorded.

List of international goals scored by Qayyum Changezi!No.!Date!Venue!Opponent!Score!Result!Competition!Ref.
117 December 1955Dacca Stadium, Dhaka, East Pakistan4–21955 Colombo Cup
2
3
415 December 1959Maharaja's College Stadium, Kochi, India1–41960 AFC Asian Cup qualification[20]
55 August 1960Stadium Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur, Malaya7–01960 Merdeka Tournament[21]

Honours

Balochistan

Pakistan Railways

Dhaka Mohammedan

Individual

See also

Bibliography

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Israel Official Games 1948-1959 . 2024-08-13 . www.rsssf.org.
  2. Web site: Hyat . Kamila . 2014-06-29 . The years of dreams. 2023-08-15 . www.thenews.com.pk . en . 2024-02-26 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240226172828/https://www.thenews.com.pk/tns/detail/556573-the-years-of-dreams-1950s-1960s . live .
  3. Web site: Ahsan . Ali . 2010-12-23 . A history of football in Pakistan — Part I . 2023-07-21 . DAWN.COM . en . 2022-09-04 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220904220323/https://www.dawn.com/2010/12/23/a-history-of-football-in-pakistan-part-i/ . live .
  4. Web site: Strack-Zimmermann . Benjamin . Qayyum Ali Changezi (Player) . 2024-06-04 . www.national-football-teams.com . en.
  5. Web site: InpaperMagazine . From . 2013-01-13 . In-depth: Pakistan football . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20160121032308/https://www.dawn.com/2013/01/13/in-depth-pakistan-football/ . 21 January 2016 . 2024-06-04 . DAWN.COM . en.
  6. Web site: Baloch . Shezad . 2014-04-02 . Festivity in the air: Making headlines for the right reasons . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240609025307/https://tribune.com.pk/story/690701/festivity-in-the-air-making-headlines-for-the-right-reasons . 2024-06-09 . 2024-06-04 . The Express Tribune . en.
  7. Web site: Wasim . Umaid . 2021-11-26 . Balochistan’s boundless passion for football has nowhere to go but an event is keeping the flame alive . 2024-06-04 . DAWN.COM . en.
  8. Web site: Unique Star School edge Ibrahim Ali Bhai School . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240530220658/https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/318941-unique-star-school-edge-ibrahim-ali-bhai-school . 2024-05-30 . 2024-06-04 . www.thenews.com.pk . en.
  9. Web site: Leisure Leagues set to hold school football . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240604223147/https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/311498-leisure-leagues-set-to-hold-school-football . 2024-06-04 . 2024-06-04 . www.thenews.com.pk . en.
  10. Web site: Pakistan - List of Champions . 2023-08-15 . www.rsssf.org . 2023-04-12 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230412080915/https://www.rsssf.org/tablesp/pakichamp.html . live .
  11. Web site: Asian Quadrangular Tournament (Colombo Cup) 1952-1955 . 2023-07-21 . www.rsssf.org . 2022-08-20 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220820110914/https://www.rsssf.org/tablesb/brindies-quad.html . live .
  12. Web site: Asian Nations Cup 1960 . 2023-08-17 . www.rsssf.org . 2022-10-18 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221018102508/https://www.rsssf.org/tables/60asch.html . live .
  13. Web site: 2006-11-18 . SPORTS WORLD: End to gloomy era of Pakistan football in sight . 2023-08-15 . Brecorder . en . 2023-08-15 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230815104230/https://www.brecorder.com/news/3337898 . live .
  14. Web site: Ahsan . Ali . 2010-12-23 . A history of football in Pakistan — Part II . 2023-08-15 . DAWN.COM . en . 2012-10-28 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121028051502/http://dawn.com/2010/12/23/a-history-of-football-in-pakistan-part-ii/ . live .
  15. Web site: Merdeka Tournament 1960 . 2023-07-18 . www.rsssf.org . 2022-10-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221021222101/https://www.rsssf.org/tablesm/merdeka60.html . live .
  16. Web site: Afghanistan Republic Day Festival Cup (Kabul, Afghanistan) . 2023-08-15 . www.rsssf.org . 2022-10-02 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221002123509/https://www.rsssf.org/tablesj/jasson76.html#1977 . live .
  17. Web site: 2003-08-29 . Absent Faisal Saleh Hayat officially declared PFF chief . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220124114452/https://www.dawn.com/news/137272/absent-faisal-saleh-hayat-officially-declared-pff-chief . 24 January 2022 . 2024-06-04 . DAWN.COM . en.
  18. Web site: Independent . The . 2019-08-03 . Fear and persecution in Pakistan’s Hazara community . 2023-08-15 . Head Topics . en . 2023-08-15 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230815104230/https://headtopics.com/uk/fear-and-persecution-in-pakistan-s-hazara-community-7308189 . dead .
  19. Web site: 2019-07-04 . 'Under siege' - Fear and defiance mark life for Pakistan's minority Hazaras . 2023-08-15 . inkl . en . 2023-08-15 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230815104237/https://www.inkl.com/news/under-siege-fear-and-defiance-mark-life-for-pakistan-s-minority-hazaras . live .
  20. Web site: Civil & Military Gazette (Lahore) - Wednesday 16 December 1959 . British Newspaper Archive.
  21. Web site: Civil & Military Gazette (Lahore) - Saturday 06 August 1960 . British Newspaper Archive.
  22. Web site: Bangladesh - List of Champions. RSSSF. 12 November 2018. 28 October 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181028192246/http://www.rsssf.com/tablesb/bangchamp.html. live.