Nepal’s SAFF Championship bid dashed by inadequate preparation

The men’s under-19 national football team of Nepal had to endure disappointment  yet again in the recently concluded Under-19 Men’s South Asian Football Federation  Championship held in Yupia,Arunachal Pradesh,India.

Host  and defending champions India survived a big scare before getting the better of  Bangladesh on penalty shootout to lift the trophy.

Bangladesh bounced back to restore parity after conceding an early goal to force the tiebreaker.They were on the cusp of victory  when they led 3-2 in the penalty shootout midway through. However, their failure to convert the  last two spot kicks turned the tide in favor of India. 

The setback  marks continuation of Team Nepal’s poor run both in regional and international competitions.

Since  they lifted the Under-19 SAFF championship for the second time in 2017 ,they have gone trophyless to date.The first time they won the championship was in 2015.

This time they had a chance to end the prolonged drought.Apparently, it was never going to be easy, and they faced a daunting challenge to overcome the odds stacked against them.

 

They had to put in their A game and perform consistently from start to end. Additionally,they needed to play as a solid cohesive unit.

Initially they showed promise by getting off to a winning start.They overwhelmed  and trounced Sri Lanka 4-0 in the opener.

They combined aggression, confidence, determination  and  effective  team work in their comprehensive victory over a relatively weak Sri Lankan outfit.

They got the important momentum but had to ride on it against a formidable Indian side in the next game to make a meaningful impact on the match,which they did not.

They had to be at their very  best and  perform consistently throughout ninety minutes of play.They needed to put in a winning performance and one hundred percent collective effort.Given the challenge they faced, there was virtually no room for mediocrity. 

However,they messed up the opportunity to deliver the desired result,falling agonizingly short of expectations.They paid a heavy price for the  insipid performance.

They struggled  to find rhythm. tempo and chemistry for the most part of the game. They looked a pale shadow of their former,offensively, defensively and in midfield as they were outplayed by the opposition.

 

The 4-0 drubbing the hosts inflicted upon the visitors was unexpected and took everyone by complete surprise. 

Team Nepal roster  awash with talented players was expected to give the home team a run for their money.

Despite defeat they  advanced to the last four and  faced Bangladesh for a place in the final.More importantly,they had another chance to rebound and redeem themselves .

They  did put up an improved performance but  sloppy defense  and the offensive inability to  capitalize on goal scoring opportunities contributed to their downfall eventually.Although they  managed to score a  late consolation goal,there was no time for them to make a dramatic fight back 

 

The lack of adequate preparation and effective coaching  was obvious in the 2-1 defeat.

It is the fundamental responsibility of the All Nepal Football Association(ANFA) to  prepare the team for international tournaments in a timely and adequate manner. In fact, they have consistently failed to prioritize and have rarely taken preparations seriously for the most part. 

This speaks volumes of their  negligence and lack of accountability. Consequently, the dereliction of duty  on their part has  largely contributed to teams' inability to make any meaningful impact on the international arena. 

To add, it is imperative  to appoint a strong and capable coaching staff  who can make a positive impact in team building, performance and cohesiveness.

The coach has to be straightforward, persuasive and assertive when making demands to the football body regarding teams proper preparation for tournaments.It is all about meticulously planning and training with all required logistics.

As long as ANFA ignores the magnitude of proper training,teams will continue to struggle and dish out subpar performances.