mysportsmysports

The bustling    industrial city of Biratnagar is all set for   one   of   the oldest football tournaments in the country, Birat Gold Cup, kicking off on 3 rd March at the historical Shahid Maidan. With the city’s premier sporting spectacle right around the corner, sport enthusiasts in the area and beyond  are gearing up for the event  that is close to their hearts. There is    so much history, emotion, prestige and respect attached to the tournament. No wonder, the competition had   developed   the aura of exclusivity. Originally known as   “Mahendra Gold Cup “, it became   one of   the country’s   most   prestigious and popular   tournaments before it went into oblivion. In many ways, the football   championship symbolized the nation’s industrial hub and   served as a very important vehicle to promote   the development of football in   the eastern region. Failure to rope in corporate sponsors,   shoe-string budget and lack of commitment on part of the organizin

Come March 2 nd  Head   Coach   Jack Stefanowski leads an under-performing   national football team of Nepal in the AFC Challenge Cup qualifiers in Kathmandu. Things are looking far from rosy for the newly hired American coach.  No question, he certainly faces   an uphill task. He just has to hope that Team Nepal performs way beyond   expectations. With the recent   spate of poor results, there   is   a   genuine cause for concern. In the last three international   tournaments the   team   looked thin, very ordinary and struggled mightily. Statistics clearly show that they are   a struggling lot and left with plenty of obstacles they will have to overcome.  They have scored just once, failed   to cash in on home advantages and slipped down in   FIFA rankings (I give little significance to rankings). Nepal’s suspect   offensive line is   her Achilles Heel. Also the inconsistency   and sluggish   play on part of midfielders   is  another worry for   Coach Stefanowski.

The topic of my discussion   is   the Aaha Gold Cup football tournament that rounded off in Pokhara recently.  I   know   it is awfully late but I believe it is never too late writing. Looking back at the 11 th  edition of the   Aaha Gold Cup, it was a grand success   in all aspects. The championship was well run and excellently managed. Besides, it was well- received and well- attended throughout, as well. Since its inception, the tournament , hosted by Sahara Club, has grown from strength to strength, and has grown to become one of  the most widely anticipated  and prestigious tournaments in the country. Even more important, the competition   has   become   the   biggest sporting spectacle in West Nepal and serves as an important platform for upcoming footballers and   football scouts. The endeavor put in by the organizer to run the tournament   of   such magnitude is   highly commendable. Despite the high cost   and   little support from All Nepal Football Associ

The frustration and anger of   partisan supporters was evident   at   Dasarath Rangashala, following Nepal’s back-to back defeat against Pakistan. Not surprisingly, fans chanted slogans   against   All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) and the team for the poor result. I don’t blame them. The fact of the matter is that they have been left with nothing but disappointment and disillusionment for far too long. There is absolutely   no excuse for the team’s   mediocrity and sloppiness.  They made a total hash of the home   field advantages, and   the lack of finishing once again was very obvious. Nepal did   look the better outfit in the   first match, however, performed rather poorly in the second. There was nothing to separate the two teams, technically and tactically. They played a similar brand of football. That said, the visitors   did have the physical edge, and they used   it to their advantage for the most part.   On the other hand, the host struggled   with   t

Time goes by so fast, in   less than two months time, the new head coach of Nepal Jack Stefanowski and his deputy Richard Orlokiski   will take charge of their first assignment. The national team of Nepal   will compete in   the   AFC Challenge   Cup 2014   qualifiers Group D at home. They take on Palestine, Bangladesh and debutants Northern Mariana Islands. Since their arrival in Kathmandu, they have been working at a frantic pace to get things started and keep things rolling, as well. With the AFC Challenge Cup close on the heels, they are in the business   of selecting the team for the competition. The   forty plus players summoned for the   close camp is a mix of old and new players. No major surprises.  By and large, the selection was based on careful consultation with local coaches and players’   performance in the ongoing Kathmandu A Division league and   recent   internationals. The newly appointed American   coach   is yet to familiarize himself with   foot