Organizing a press conference in the capital, the 31-year-old Humagain said he resigned from the post due to the club´s "unprofessional treatment to players". [break]
"I could not remain a mute spectator to the plight of players as their financial condition is very weak," said Humagain, hinting that the club´s players had not been paid for long. "Along with physical fitness, players must also be mentally fit to play and win matches," said Humagain, who guided the club to three major titles, including the A division league, during his brief one-year stint at Three Star.
Three Star´s long-serving president Lalit Krishna Shrestha, who is also the ANFA vice-president, could not be reached for comments.
Humagain, then deputy of coach Meghraj KC, assumed responsibility as the head coach after KC´s resignation on September 22, 2012. Humagain helped Three Star win the Martyrs Memorial League, Aaha-Rara Gold Cup and the Udayapur Gold Cup. He also guided Three Star to the AFC President´s Cup finals as the group winner and to the final of Governor´s Gold Cup in Sikkim.
"Though none of the top-tier clubs is professional Three Star is worse. Football cannot be played only with emotions," said Humagain. "I have very friendly relations with players; they come to me and complain about their plight, but hesitate to speak about this with the club management. If I expose everything, no one would wish to become a footballer," said Humagain.
"However, it feels bad to leave the club which has given me recognition as a coach. It was a lifetime opportunity for me to be Three Star´s coach and I want to credit all my achievements to football fans, especially of Patan, the club family and the players," said Humagain, who undertook grassroots coaching course as well as C and B level coaching courses and match analysis course in Norway during his one-year stint at Three Star.
"I would always take a leading role for the development of Nepali football."
Asked if Three Star´s disappointing results in the finals of the recently held AFC President´s Cup prompted his resignation, Humagain said, "My resignation has nothing to do with the President´s Cup results. The players should not be blamed for poor results because they played well in Malaysia." Three Star had less than a week´s preparation for the President´s Cup and the full squad never trained together even for a single day.
He also denied rumors that his resignation came as a result of dispute with the other coach of the team, Anjan KC, a former Three Star player and former national team member. "He helped me a lot in the club and I could not have achieved success without him. I have learned a lot from him. I am still in the learning process."
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