The Precision Soccer Academy sessions are coached by a World Cup coach who has produced many youth players who have played internationally and participated in World Cups. Zia has coached both Iraq and the United Arab Emirates at the international level.
Zia has directed coaching programs for international coaches in England under the auspices of FIFA and the English Football Association. He has also directed coaching programs in the United Arab Emirates and in Iraq alongside former Real Madrid, Valencia, and Yugoslavia manager Miljan Miljanic.
He has also been a member of the English Football Association, where he was chosen most valuable staff member twice. Zia has worked in conjunction with well renowned English coaches, such as Bobby Robson, Graham Taylor, Don Howe and former FA executive coach Charles Hughes.
Zia was involved with World Cup winning Brazilian coach Carlos Alberto Pereira in combined training sessions for the UAE national team and the Al-Shabab club. Zia was later chosen as the replacement coach for all the UAE national teams, replacing two World Cup-winning coaches – Carlos Alberto and Mário Zagallo. He was assigned with the task of rebuilding the nation’s entire youth structure.
He qualified the UAE national team for the 91 U-17 World Cup, with only three months to prepare the team for the qualifications and only 300 registered players available nationwide. This was the first time in the history of the country to qualify for the World Cup at this level.
During their World Cup campaign, UAE achieved a monumental result with a 2-2 draw against the German national team.
Zia Ishaq
FIFA ’91 World Cup Book
Qualifications
Career Highlights
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Qualification of U.A.E U-17 national team to Italy 91 World Cup. |
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Qualification of Iraq to the quarter finals of the 1980 Moscow Olympics. |
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Produced the top goal scorer over Asia, three times running. (Asian Youth Championships) |
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Produced second best goal scorer in the 1979 Tunisia Youth World Cup |
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Produced six international players for the 1986 Mexico World Cup. |
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Produced four international players for the 1990 Italy World Cup. |
Held training camps in Germany with renowned clubs such as Bayern Munich and Stuttgart.
Basil Gorgis, former Mexico 86 World Cup Player
“Zia Ishaq, the master builder, was our coach through the younger stages. He has the greatest impact on my career. He taught me the game from A to Z.”
Valeriy Lobanovskyi, former Dynamo Kyiv & USSR Manager
“I am impressed with the training sessions of coach Zia Ishaq. I wish also that my players could co-operate in the same enthusiastic spirit in which his players are working. It was interesting to see the progression starting from one aspect of the game till reaching eleven a side. I believe U.A.E will qualify for the Youth World Cup under such coaching influence.”
United Arab Emirates, August 1990, Khaleej Newspaper