The event to begin after a week will see participation of 10 teams, including top eight teams of the Martyrs Memorial A Division League and two teams qualified from A division districts. [break]
The National League being held in new format -- including two teams of districts for the first time -- is expected to be tougher than any of the previous league.
Similarly, the tournament will also be of great significance to the clubs, as the winner will qualify for the AFC President´s Cup as the representative of Nepal.
There won´t be presence of any weaker side in the tournament as the event features top eight domestic teams while two teams from A division districts will be a surprise package. Similarly, the presence of foreign players, most of them from African countries, in all top eight teams other than New Road Team (NRT) and two departmental teams -- Nepal Police Club and Nepal Army Club-- are expected to add more thrills to the league.
Republica talked with the coaches and officials of top eight teams of the Martyrs Memorial League about their preparations. Coaches of all the teams agreed that the event would be a tough one.
Nepal Police Club
There will not be any changes in the set of defending champion Nepal Police Club in comparison to the Martyrs Memorial A Division League team. But without any foreign players as well, Police is the traditional powerhouse in Nepali football studded with about half a dozen national players. Thus, the winner of last three editions of league is always a threat to other teams.
"Our one and only aim will be to win the title as we have good team," said coach Birat Krishna Shrestha. However, he is worried of his three key players including Bharat Khawas, Jumanu Rai and Rabin Shrestha, who picked injuries fulfilling national duty in SAFF Championship.
"If all of them recovered we will be a better side and we will play total football and team game," said Shrestha. The team is undergoing training at Police academy ground but without national players as they have gone home after their arrival from SAFF.
Manang Marshyangdi Club (MMC)
The six-time league champion MMC is the runner up of the Martyrs Memorial League. The club has invested huge amount in football and has seven national players in the squad and four foreign players, one from Japan and three other from Cameroon. Anatole Thiery is one of the three Cameroonian players, who featured as defender for MMC in the Martyrs Memorial League.
"Our aim is to lift the league title and also win the AFC President´s Cup," said MMC President Tashi Ghale, who recently hired former Bansbari Club coach Hari Om Shrestha to look after the team. The team is undergoing training at Goldhunga for the last two weeks.
Jawalakhel Youth Club
Jawalakhel had finished third in the Martyrs Memorial League and achieved its best results in the league nearly after three decades. The club is undergoing training since last week.
"We will vie for top position in the league but the result and performance largely depends upon opponents´ show," said Jawalakhel coach Kishor KC, who has added one more African player in the league and made three African in the squad.
Thomas Wangira Biket and Gerard Mukonza were the two Africans, who played in the league and Mukonza had scored 10 goals in 14 appearances for the team.
Three Star Club
The two-time league champion had finished fourth in the league and is always a threat to any other opponent. It is studded with three national players.
According to coach Meghraj KC, the team has enrolled three Nepali players from teams other than top eight of the league including Noor Raj Kafle of APF, Saraswati Club goalkeeper Bikesh Kutu and another player from Machhindra Club. Similarly, six African players are in trial and the club is likely to pick five of them if they put up a satisfactory performance.
"The club´s target in the league depends upon management policy as well as the ability of foreign players. The better performance of team depends upon the coordination among coach, players and management," said KC.
Himalayan Sherpa Club
In its very first season in the league, Himalayan Sherpa finished fifth and set a new record in Nepali football. National team skipper Sagar Thapa and winger Jagjeet Shrestha are vital players of the team.
According to coach Upendra Man Singh, the team will try to put up its best performance and lift the title. The team has not started training for league as it arrived from Shillong on Wednesday after competing in a local tournament there. Two Korean players have already arrived to play for the team and African recruit Samuel Mubirum, who played for the team in Martyrs Memorial League, will feature in the team. The club has also hired APF´s midfielder Nirajan Malla for the National League.
Ranipokhari Corner Team (RCT)
The six-time league champion RCT, who finished sixth in the Martyrs Memorial League is looking to regain its past glory and will come up with four African players. It will give continuity to three players -- Alexis Likeng, David Nkang and Ntolo Ngoumou -- who played for the team in the Martyrs Memorial League. Similarly, it enrolled another African from Ivory Coast. According to coach Madhu Karki, they could not have sound preparation due to scarcity of training ground. The team is using Tudhikel as preparation ground. "Our preparation will start after going to Pokhara and we will go there a week prior to the tournament," said Karki, who is eying top position in the league.
New Road Team (NRT)
The team is undergoing preparation at the ground of Lab School, Kirtipur, since last three weeks. There will not be single foreign player in the team. However, the club has included a new midfielder in the squad, who is an England-returned Nepali national. "I think the league will be a tough contest," said coach Raju Shakya, who hopes that his side will be technically better than others. "Like any other coach, I wish to lift the title and preparing for that," he added.
Nepal Army Club
The departmental team has started training for the National League since the last two weeks at the Nepal Army headquarters, Bhadrakali. The runner up of Safal Pokhara Cup held a couple of months earlier had finished eighth in the Martyrs Memorial League. Like other counterparts, Army coach Yogembar Suwal is also eying title. Within last two weeks, Army has played two friendlies with RCT and MMC.
It defeated RCT 3-2 and played 1-1 stalemate against MMC. There will not be any changes in the squad from that of Martyrs Memorial League. However, midfielder Raju Tamang, who had missed the Martyrs Memorial League as he was deployed in Haiti in a peacekeeping mission, will join the team for the National League.
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