Martys Memorial League Football: A drag for teams
The Martyrs Memorial First Division League Football tournament in full swing in the capital is not generating the kind of excitement one hotly anticipated. So far spectators have witnessed a series of dull and drab encounters.
Over all it has been a low -key affair in terms of teams’ performance and fans response. Most matches have been played in front of empty gallery and playing standards has left much to be desired. Barring a few the majority of participants seemed inadequately prepared for the tournament.
Only a few weeks old but the 18 team league has produced a string of surprises already. Only New Road Team (NRT) and Nepal Police (NP) have managed a perfect record. As of now NRT with 15 points occupies the pole position from five outings, and NP is in sixth place with 12 points from four matches.
Himalayan Sherpa Club continues to impress and currently occupies the second place. Strong contender Manag Marsyangdhi Club (MMC) is in third spot ,followed by Jawalakhel Youth Club and Rani Pokhari Corner Team (RCT) respectively.
Boudha FC and Bansbari have had a good run to this point but must double their effort to make a lasting impact..
The real stunner has been the mediocrity of three biggies ,Three Star Club ,Nepal Army and Armed Police Force. Star -studded Three Star’s struggle is a huge surprise no doubt. It is time they settle down and put their act together to bounce back.
Nepal Army poor form has been in full display , and no wonder they are paying a heavy price for their insipid showing. The biggest shocker, however, is Armed Police Force’s awful performance. They are pointless and last in the standings.
Hard to envisage that the two departmental teams are playing so poorly. Should the management turn a blind eye to their struggle things will only get worse.
Friends Club and Macchindra 12th and 14th respectively are a let down so far. A lot was expected from Macchindra but they have looked a pale shadow of itself. It maybe recalled that they had a fairly good domestic season last year.
In the relegation zone are Armed Police Force, Koilapani, United Youth,, Saraswoti, Macchindra Swayambhu and Friends Club. Agreed that it is just the beginning of the league but these teams have to come up with a vastly improved performance to avert the humiliation of relegation.
A competitive and professional league is basically about producing players for the national team. It is a very important platform for footballers to show case their talent and ultimately win the hearts and minds of national selectors.
Speaking of professionalizing the league, we are nowhere close to it. Given the non-existence of club culture, financial crunch and dearth of sponsors it is hard to imagine clubs playing a decisive role in the development process.
It’s a proven fact that football association alone cannot fully develop football, however, it must create a congenial climate for the game to grow and thrive. That said, constant involvement of clubs in the process is crucial and indispensable regardless of the situation.
The two has to work in tandem to achieve the ultimate goal. Unfortunately in the context of Nepali football the role and contribution of clubs is very limited and negligible. Newcomer Koilapani in fact is the real face of a majority of clubs in the kingdom in terms of finance largely..
The first team outside the capital to play in the league is in deep financial crisis, and they are seriously contemplating to pull out of the competition. As reported by the local media the team also vented their displeasure and discontentment against the management .Wretched and pitiful were the words they uttered to condemn the organizer that is All Nepal Football Association (ANFA).
The so called premier league of the country in itself is contradictory because it is strictly designed for clubs in the capital with Koilapani being the sole exception this season. The league can be only meaningful and productive if restructured and repackaged from Division A to Division D with objectives to make it more representative .
The other alternative is to start a similar league in the nation’s traditional football bastions so that clubs outside the capital can become part of mainstream football. This can certainly trigger a spurt of football activities in the region and promote the game in one way or the other.
There was a time when district and zonal level competitions involving local outfits were aplenty. Despite challenging circumstances district football association played a pivotal role in running and managing everything related to competitions, players and talent hunt.
Regrettably today it is a thing of the past, and this has resulted the game outside the Valley to suffer and languish further. To make matters worse under Ganesh Thapa, ANFA has been a huge , huge disappointment when it comes to vision, planning, management, grassroots infrastructure, honesty, and achievements.
The last fifteen years has seen Thapa and company catering to their personal needs rather than sincerely committing to the cause of football . They are largely accountable for the destruction of the most popular sport in the country. The biggest irony is that nobody gives a damn.
I am appalled and sickened at ANFA’s high- handedness and failures. What infuriates me most is the free pass given to Thapa by the local press. They are gutless and spineless to direct their tirade against him even for good reasons.
Long as Thapa is in charge I guarantee the landscape of Nepali football will remain unchanged. By the time you browse through this piece the current standings of teams in the league should have changed.
Over all it has been a low -key affair in terms of teams’ performance and fans response. Most matches have been played in front of empty gallery and playing standards has left much to be desired. Barring a few the majority of participants seemed inadequately prepared for the tournament.
Only a few weeks old but the 18 team league has produced a string of surprises already. Only New Road Team (NRT) and Nepal Police (NP) have managed a perfect record. As of now NRT with 15 points occupies the pole position from five outings, and NP is in sixth place with 12 points from four matches.
Himalayan Sherpa Club continues to impress and currently occupies the second place. Strong contender Manag Marsyangdhi Club (MMC) is in third spot ,followed by Jawalakhel Youth Club and Rani Pokhari Corner Team (RCT) respectively.
Boudha FC and Bansbari have had a good run to this point but must double their effort to make a lasting impact..
The real stunner has been the mediocrity of three biggies ,Three Star Club ,Nepal Army and Armed Police Force. Star -studded Three Star’s struggle is a huge surprise no doubt. It is time they settle down and put their act together to bounce back.
Nepal Army poor form has been in full display , and no wonder they are paying a heavy price for their insipid showing. The biggest shocker, however, is Armed Police Force’s awful performance. They are pointless and last in the standings.
Hard to envisage that the two departmental teams are playing so poorly. Should the management turn a blind eye to their struggle things will only get worse.
Friends Club and Macchindra 12th and 14th respectively are a let down so far. A lot was expected from Macchindra but they have looked a pale shadow of itself. It maybe recalled that they had a fairly good domestic season last year.
In the relegation zone are Armed Police Force, Koilapani, United Youth,, Saraswoti, Macchindra Swayambhu and Friends Club. Agreed that it is just the beginning of the league but these teams have to come up with a vastly improved performance to avert the humiliation of relegation.
A competitive and professional league is basically about producing players for the national team. It is a very important platform for footballers to show case their talent and ultimately win the hearts and minds of national selectors.
Speaking of professionalizing the league, we are nowhere close to it. Given the non-existence of club culture, financial crunch and dearth of sponsors it is hard to imagine clubs playing a decisive role in the development process.
It’s a proven fact that football association alone cannot fully develop football, however, it must create a congenial climate for the game to grow and thrive. That said, constant involvement of clubs in the process is crucial and indispensable regardless of the situation.
The two has to work in tandem to achieve the ultimate goal. Unfortunately in the context of Nepali football the role and contribution of clubs is very limited and negligible. Newcomer Koilapani in fact is the real face of a majority of clubs in the kingdom in terms of finance largely..
The first team outside the capital to play in the league is in deep financial crisis, and they are seriously contemplating to pull out of the competition. As reported by the local media the team also vented their displeasure and discontentment against the management .Wretched and pitiful were the words they uttered to condemn the organizer that is All Nepal Football Association (ANFA).
The so called premier league of the country in itself is contradictory because it is strictly designed for clubs in the capital with Koilapani being the sole exception this season. The league can be only meaningful and productive if restructured and repackaged from Division A to Division D with objectives to make it more representative .
The other alternative is to start a similar league in the nation’s traditional football bastions so that clubs outside the capital can become part of mainstream football. This can certainly trigger a spurt of football activities in the region and promote the game in one way or the other.
There was a time when district and zonal level competitions involving local outfits were aplenty. Despite challenging circumstances district football association played a pivotal role in running and managing everything related to competitions, players and talent hunt.
Regrettably today it is a thing of the past, and this has resulted the game outside the Valley to suffer and languish further. To make matters worse under Ganesh Thapa, ANFA has been a huge , huge disappointment when it comes to vision, planning, management, grassroots infrastructure, honesty, and achievements.
The last fifteen years has seen Thapa and company catering to their personal needs rather than sincerely committing to the cause of football . They are largely accountable for the destruction of the most popular sport in the country. The biggest irony is that nobody gives a damn.
I am appalled and sickened at ANFA’s high- handedness and failures. What infuriates me most is the free pass given to Thapa by the local press. They are gutless and spineless to direct their tirade against him even for good reasons.
Long as Thapa is in charge I guarantee the landscape of Nepali football will remain unchanged. By the time you browse through this piece the current standings of teams in the league should have changed.
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