´Right now we are a team, there is tremendous unity within the team and they worked very hard. That is the strongest part of the team,´ said Stefanowski during a training session on Monday.
The Nepali team returned home on Sunday after a three-week training in Bahrain and Kuwait. During the tour the team played five friendly matches -- two in Bahrain and three in Kuwait -- of which it won four and lost one.[break]
´The preparations went well there. We played some very good matches and I am happy with the team"s preparations during the stay,´ said a visibly delighted Stefanowski.
´We need time to continue working on the thing that I had in my mind earlier and we had a chance to work on that. So it was nice to see the progression over the last few days,´ said the Polish.
The coach also lauded the decision to train in the Gulf countries. ´We played well and dominated most of the matches played there. It was a good decision to play and train there,´ Stafenowski said, adding that the training had boosted his side"s confidence. ´We are confident going into the Championship now. Most of the preparations are complete and the guys are resting.´
He said, ´The opponents were good and challenging. Bahrain U-23 and East Riffa were good teams.´ Nepal was defeated 3-0 by Bahrain U-23 while it beat East Riffa 1-0.
Asked about Nepal"s scoring problems at the international level, Stefanowski said, ´We proved over the last couple of weeks that we can score.´ Nepal scored a total of 14 goals and conceded five in the five matches played during the tour.
Stefanowski, assisted by Richard Orlowski in his coaching job, said that the final list of 20 players from among the 25 players currently undergoing training is likely to be declared on Wednesday.
Regarding his team"s chances of winning the SAFF Championship, Stefanowski said, ´That is what we are shooting for from day one. The last three weeks have given us good experience and made us believe and have full faith in ourselves.´
´Right now the team is playing well -- both defensively and offensively the team is at its highest standard,´ said the Polish coach.
Two members of the team -- winger Jagjeet Shrestha and defender Rabin Shrestha -- have minor injuries. Jagjeet has injured his heel while Rabin has hamstring problem. Both are likely to recover within a couple of days.
Meanwhile, the national team"s technical advisor Krishna Thapa described the Gulf tour as the best ever of the national team. ´We played friendly matches as per expectations in good fields under floodlights,´ said Thapa, who had accompanied the team on the Gulf tour.
"The team"s morale is high and it is sound in fitness, technical and tactical aspects. Besides, the team has also made changes in playing technique,´ said Thapa, hinting that the team was likely to come up in 4-4-1-1 formation during the championship.
Meanwhile, regular defender Rohit Chand, who plays professional football in Indonesia, is likely to be given a different role in the championship. ´He was featured as central midfielder during the friendly in Kuwait and is likely to get the same responsibility in the SAFF Championship.´
Khawas joins camp
Influential forward Bharat Khawas joined the national team"s training camp on Monday. Khawas, a regular member of the national squad, was not able to join the national team earlier as he was undergoing the second lieutenant training of Nepal Army.
´I am on a two-day leave from the department"s training and ANFA has asked me to negotiate with the Nepal Army for my release,´ said Khawas. ´I am happy to join the national team"s training after a long time. I will give my 100 percent during the training and the championship if I get released,´ said Khawas.
Despite not training with the national team for a long time, Khawas said he would not have problems coordinating with his teammates as he had played with them previously. ´As I have been training with the Nepal Army I won"t have problems in physical aspects.´
Coach Stefanowski said he will take a decision regarding Khawas after inspecting him for a couple of days during training. ´We have to integrate him into the team and will give him a week"s time for adjustment.´
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