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Kathmandu Friday November 02, 2001 Kartik 17, 2058.
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Young footballers promised continual
training
By Purushottam Kattel
KATHMANDU, Nov 1 – When the Asian Football Confederation
(AFC) postponed the ‘Asian Youth Festival of Football’ in Bangladesh, it was a
big letdown to the Nepali junior footballers striving to showcase their talent at
international arena. And for the football officials who had even picked a 23-member squad.
The organisers postponed the event, originally scheduled for
October 25 to November 1, citing technical problems.
However, the FIFA-affiliated All Nepal Football
Association’s (ANFA) decision to carry on with the training and participate in
Subrato Mukherji Cup football tournament brought a welcome relief to the players.
"We will select squads for the Subrato Mukherji Cup from
the same set of 23 players," said Ganesh Thapa, the president of ANFA. "The
tournament will serve as a platform for the players to gain in confidence for the bigger
international competitions like Youth Festival of Football."
Nepal is fielding two junior teams—Under-17 and
Under-14—for the Subrato Mukherji Cup slated for November 15 to December 13 in the
Indian capital New Delhi.
Thapa also said that the association has resumed the
closed-camp training for the junior players.
According to him, the players are staying at the Mahendra
Youth Hostel and training under coach Raju Thapa.
Giving account of the players, coach Thapa said: "The
boys are improving with each passing day.
"What they need at present is some match practice,"
he added, "and Subrato Mukherji Cup would simply fit the bill."
Ganesh Thapa, who has all praise for improvement shown by the
boys, said that ANFA junior project will equip players with technicalities of football
helping them to succeed successful footballers in the future.
Meanwhile, he also expressed hopes that the long-standing
ANFA dispute would be resolved by the end of November. "We are trying to solve the
problem in the lines of FIFA demand," he said. "But National Sports Council
should take the initiation for the problem."
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