Young Magar’s challenging new innings in Belgium

Small town football sensational Bimal Gharti Magar has been making waves and headlines in recent days. Sport enthusiasts and media alike are euphoric and in awe of   his   achievement.

The one year contract Magar signed with Belgium’s leading club RSC Anderlecht has captivated the imagination of the entire nation. Since then the Young Turk has been bombarded with accolades and adulations from all quarters as expected.

This is no small accomplishment, not by any stretch of the imagination, especially taking into account his modest background and the sorry state of Nepal football. He deserves every bit of praise that has come his way.

The youngster will play for the Belgian   club’s under-19 team. We should all   be proud of him and   marvel at what he has accomplished. Now that the contract has been inked, he has become the first ever Nepali to represent a European club.

The recognition   showered on Magar’s potential by the Belgian club   means a lot to him and Nepal football. Without the slightest doubt this is a testament   to his talent and   has opened the window of opportunities for other aspiring footballers in the country as well.

This   is a huge   breakthrough for talented Magar, and more important,   it provides him the right kind of platform to grow as a player and display talent in a nurturing and conducive environment. He could not have asked for a better deal, which would likely improve   his career prospects significantly.

As the old English adage goes,”opportunity only knocks once”, indeed, this   is  one opportunity Magar   cannot afford to squander.  All along, he has to remain  focused, disciplined, confident, fully committed and work to the best of his ability.  

Taking his   game   to the next level should be his immediate target and going beyond the 1 year contract with the Club his long term goal.  

He is raring to   go, but what matters most is stepping up to the challenge and finding success. To succeed, he   must rise to the occasion, make the most of it and prove himself what he is capable of.

Magar   has   become   Nepali football’s   new face and beacon   of   hope. He carries the weight and burden of expectations. There is no doubt that he   comes   with a   bundle of raw talent and   has qualities of   a star in the making.

We have seen  him play plenty of  fantastic  football  on the home turf , however,  he faces  a  whole new  ball game in Europe.  

His tidy showing in trials with   FC Twente and RSC Anderlecht youth teams showed/shows Magar can play in a highly competitive environment. By and large, he put in a sharp and consistent performance to impress coaches and win their approval.

 

It is   very important that he does not to get carried   away   by the increasing focus on him and the media hype. This is only the beginning, and   he has a long way to go in establishing himself as a name to remember.

Young Magar should be obliged and grateful to Mr. Rene Koster, the former coach of the Bangladesh U -17 team for making this happen. He   helped   pave the way for   his passage to Belgium. Both trials   for FC Twente and RSC Anderlecht were facilitated by the Dutch man.

Mr. Koster spotted Magar’s talent during the U-17 tournament in Kathmandu a few years back. He saw great potential in him and was convinced that he   could blossom into a classy player given the right kind of environment, training, guidance and opportunity. He sought to help him build on those skills, which he did.

When   Magar   begins   a new   challenging era in Belgium, it is imperative that someone monitors his progress and provides him professional help from time to time.

Playing in Europe as   a   professional   is a   dream   for most   upcoming players across the world. It is very obvious that our own Magar is one of them, and we are all hoping to see him accomplish a feat many have not lived to see. Good luck.