E-Kantipur

The South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) semi-final game between Nepal and Afghanistan kept all Nepali football enthusiasts on tenterhooks all through the 120 minutes of play. The performance put up by Nepal was indeed very good and I personally think that today’s team is one of the best we have ever had. The Nepali boys on the field not only had better possession of the ball, but their short passes were something to be enthused about. Though the Nepal squad lost the semi-final against Afghanistan, their performance overall in the tournament, as far as I am concerned, was really remarkable. Yet football matches are all about goals and only those teams that score and win advance to the next stage. Nepal, despite its sterling performance, had to bite the dust; not because they played less well than their opponents, but because they could not score. The football defeat followed a humiliating nine wicket defeat the same day from the same country in home grounds at Kirtipur.

The ability to score has been the bane of Nepal squads down the years. However, it must be added that the side that played in the latest SAFF championship was a remarkably brilliant team, good in team work and good in attacks but the only—and inconsolable—drawback was very poor finishing. Football enthusiasts glued to their TV sets—using generators and batteries in places where there were power cuts—were dismayed that despite the good performance, Nepal were unable to score.

The Afghans, most of them said to be playing from one or other European and American sides, had fewer chances to score than Nepal but they were able to convert one of the few chances they had. (One wonders how a country torn by conflict could produce a football team as good as the one we witnessed last week)

Nepal’s performance in the SAFF tournament has been attributed by those in the know to the closed camp in which the players were trained for almost one year. This is as it should be, for without proper training and international experience, no matter how well each individual player is, the team may not be able to put up a good performance or win crucial matches. The closed camp not only helps in the training of the players and bringing about better team work, but also helps in building a better camaraderie among the players, trainers and coaches. But this might be false because despite the years of closeness, our political parties are yet to build up the necessary teamwork, coordination and focussed goal so that they can deliver to the people what they promised and what they are mandated for by the people. But like in modern sports, the political parties too, seem to be guided more by materialistic gains than by a real desire to serve the people. The Nepali players did not lose the sense of direction but our political parties did and are taking the people for a ride.

The All Nepal Football Association (ANFA), initially set up as a parallel body to the Nepal Football Association (NFA) by the then Sports Council way back in late 1960s or in early 1970s because the NFA officials were not abiding by the Council’s directives, announced plum incentives to the players in team Nepal. The perks included a lifelong stipend of Rs 10,000 each and an apartment each to the players if the team wins the SAFF championship. In this age and time,

perhaps, such incentives and perks are needed if only to get better performance out of each of the players. Despite these tempting announcements, the team had to suffer a defeat, that too, in extra time as the game was tied 0-0 at the end of the regular 90-minutes of play. The closed camp

held for the players, however, has not gone in vain as it will stand in good stead for the AFC outings that are to be held in Nepal.

Regarding the closed camp, the football authorities in the country may have done a good job in selecting the present lot. But how are they assured that they are the best in the country? The players were chosen from some of the well known football clubs of the country, mostly from the Kathmandu Valley. There is more than a little possibility that there are players across the country who are better and given a chance, would have performed much better than the present lot. But how is anyone to trace and spot them? They do not play in major leagues in the country and officials normally look at only those who play for major teams. Has the ANFA ever thought of sending out talent scouts across the

country? And even more important, has ANFA encouraged, by providing monetary grants if need be, local sports bodies to regularly organise tournaments so that the youths of the country will get an opportunity to be recognised? It is necessary to build up an infrastructure in such a way that sports persons will not be felt left out if they do not take part in tournaments in the capital or in one or two other urban areas. In addition, ANFA and the Sports Council would render good service to the people, especially the youths, if they provide playing fields where the youth—and the very young and the old—can freely indulge in sports activities. This is especially needed in Kathmandu Valley where money minded local bodies have turned public places into money generating avenues without bothering about the need of the people. It is only when more and more youths take to sports, not as a profession, but as a healthy pastime that we will be able to be more penetrative in our football and other games and develop the killing instinct so important for a win in a sporting way.

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