ANFA’s bold effort pleases some disappoints many

By Purushottam Kattel

KATHMANDU, Jan 24: The 12-day Birendra Memorial Invitational football tournament was indeed a bold effort by the newly elected All Nepal Football Association (ANFA). The tournament indeed has awakened footballers and fans alike from the long lay-off.

But as it was evident at the end of the day, the 17-team tournament failed to live up to the expectations.

The final, semifinals and a few other matches notwithstanding, stands at the Dashrath Stadium were dearth of paying spectators. The fact that ANFA could raise only Rs 1.16 million, 20 percent drop on last year’s Birthday Cup, aptly justifies it.

ANFA treasurer Haribol Bhandari blame on adverse weather condition for the low spectator turn out. "People stayed away from a couple of match including the second semifinal," said Bhandari. Otherwise the final match pulled some 17,000 spectators."

But paying spectators hold different view than that of Bhandari. They claim that the tournament, unlike tournaments which were held in the past, were less appealing.

"This tournament hardly had any charm," observed Bharat Bhattarai, a staunch follower of Nepali football. "The performance level of most of the teams has fallen sharply, which made this tournament a dull affair."

Apart from the semifinal between Friends’ Club and Manang Marshyangdi Club (MMC) and the final between Mahendra Police Club and MMC, most of the matches turned out to be lacklustre affairs that exposed telling gap between competing teams.

To make things worse, a controversy surrounding Raj Kumar Tandukar and poor management of the event put question mark over ANFA’s competence in smooth running of any big football tournament.

ANFA’s decision to suspend Tandukar following protest from the players’ former club MMC raised many an eyebrow. It turned a blind eye while he played a couple of matches for Friends’ Club but suddenly lashed out the penalty only on the eve of the match against MMC.

ANFA also came under fire from visiting Belgaria Sporting Club of Kolkata. The team coach, S Mukherji, flayed it for poor management as the visitors had to appear in the field less than 24 hours after their arrival in the capital.

While none of the visiting sides could leave any impression, Mahendra Police Club continued its brilliant form from the Buddha Subba Gold Cup in Dharan, to wrap up the title.

Manang Marshyangdi Club, winners of three consecutive Birthday Cup, despite losing the final played outstandingly. Friends’ Club with the addition of national team players – Nirajan Rayamajhi, Upendra Man Singh and Bal Gopal Maharjan – in their ranks proved impressive.

However, the tournament proved a big disaster for RCT, last year’s Birthday Cup winners. RCT, who saw an exodus of their players to Friends’ Club, were knocked out of the competition following a 5-1 humiliation by newly promoted Galaxian Club. NRT too met with similar fate, losing out to MMC.

Galaxian Club emerged as a dark horse in the tournament with stunning performances to pave their way to the last four. The team crowded with promising youngsters produced entertaining football much to the delight of the crowd.

While Bal Gopal Maharjan, Dev Narayan Chaudhary and Deepak Amatya were visibly slow with their age, the tournament has provided proof of up and coming talents in Suren Tamang and Ritesh Khadka. The two shining stars of Galaxian Club, striking good understanding up front, shared five goals between them.

Nirajan Rayamajhi once again proved himself as the most prolific striker around to score seven goals, highest in the tournament. Also to leave the mark were Hari Khadka, Hari Thakuri, Ramesh Budathoki, Anil Adhikari, Kumar Thapa, Sanjeev Joshi, Ritesh Thapa, Rabin Byanjankar, Upendra Man Singh, Ganesh Limbu (Galaxian Club) Sahila Maharjan, Rakesh Shrestha and Deepak Lama.

Pokhara to host Caravan Gold Cup football

Post Report

KATHMANDU, Jan 24:The first Caravan Gold Cup football 2002 will start in Pokhara from February 19, organisers Sahara Club announced here on Thursday.

The 12-day tournament, which is being held under the aegis of All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) and sponsorship of Shree Distillery Pvt Ltd, will feature 12 clubs, including a few teams from India, the organisers told reporters at a press conference. It will be played under the knock-out format.

Chief guest of the occasion, Binod Shankar Palikhe, member-secretary of National Sports Council (NSC), lauded the effort of local club to hold the tournament through public participation. He expressed hope that the tournament besides popularising the game at the regional level would also open new avenues for tourism promotion in the picturesque western town.

He also revealed that the council has taken several decisions recently giving special emphasis towards the development of football in the country.

"NSC has decided to allocate separate budget for football," Palikhe said. "We will be organising two national-level tournaments each year in conjunction with ANFA."

He said the council would mete out almost 20 million rupees for the development of football infrastructure in four districts each year.

Speaking on the occasion, ANFA president Geeta Rana gave assurance that the tournament would be included in the association’s annual programme.

"Such tournaments help clubs to pay their players," she said. "That will in turn raise the standard both at club and national level."

The president of Sahara Club, Basanta Thakali, giving further account of the event, said that the organising cost of the tournament was estimated at Rs 900,000. The winners and runners-up of the tournament will receive Rs 50,000 and Rs 25,000, he said.

Explaining company’s participation in social activities, director of Shree Distillery Himal Raj Kasaju assured a continual support for the development of sports in the country.