KATHMANDU, Aug 11: Although the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) has courted controversies by deciding to organize a no-relegation league and unofficially sacking the assistant coach of the national team Raju Kaji Shakya, the Nepal football governing body claims the first three months under the new leadership of President Karma Tshering Sherpa has been largely successful. 

Speaking at a press meet organized at the ANFA head office in Satdobato on Friday, the spokesperson of the association Kiran Rai said that Nepali football is in a transition and it still requires six to 12 months for the smooth functioning of the ANFA. 

Stating that the organizing of various tournaments and other works they have done so far is quite satisfactory, Rai however said it will take more time for proper functioning with the Martyr’s Memorial A-Division League just around the corner. 

The ANFA boasts about the organizing of the Lalit Memorial U-18 Championship which was played from June 12 to July 5 in which Brigade Boys won the title, and the departmental team Tribhuvan Army Club finished second, while they also organized ANFA Cup Inter-school Football Tournament from June 15 to August 3. It also organized the Vice-president Women’s League (District League) from July 11 to 19 in Rautahat and Hetauda, with the tournament’s final round being held from July 23 to 31 in Kathmandu in which the other departmental team Armed Police Force (APF) emerged as the winner and the Army finished as runner-up. 

The National Referee Course was also conducted in two phases with the first from July 23 to 27, and the second from July 30 to August 3 in Kathmandu. 

In its current plans, ANFA has scheduled the Extra-ordinary ANFA Congress in Chitwan on August 15 and the A-Division League from September 29. 

“We have organized several important events in a short span of time after a new team was elected in ANFA leadership just three months ago. We have planned to complete other activities as well to make things clear about the football body,’’ spokesperson Rai said. “There have been a lot of discussions on what to do next in the coming days and we have decided to unveil the annual ANFA schedule along with keeping the body transparent about the statute. We will pass that in the upcoming congress.’’ 

“All the football activities were halted and we have given continuity to those activities along with adding some new ones. Now, this momentum should be institutionalized at the policy level,” he explained. 

Rai argued that the no-relegation league was for the betterment of all the clubs that were completely paralyzed in absence of the league for five years. 

“The no-relegation league will be played only this year, the relegation system will continue from the next year as decided by the new working committee. We asked for the approval of the league from FIFA and also held a discussion with other clubs. There has been a lot of development in that area and it already has been finalized,’’ Rai further added, “There is no way it will hinder the spirit of the league and we will do everything possible to prevent the bad motives from happening. Actually, we are very sure of that.’’

Rai also added that it is very important to maintain good relations with other countries and the International Relations manager and coordinator of advisory committee of the ANFA Nabin Pandey will attend the next FIFA Congress along with the President Karma Tshering Sherpa. 

“Nabin Pandey was appointed in order to maintain a good relation with other countries and it is very important to do that. He will attend the FIFA Congress with the President as Nepal’s representatives,’’ Rai said. “There is a limitation in everything, but this thing has no boundary because we can’t limit our relation just within the country. We have to maintain good relations with the FIFA and other countries.’’ 

Misunderstanding with Shakya cleared
On controversy over unofficial sacking of assistant coach Shakya, Rai claimed that they held several rounds of discussion with Shakya, and that it was fruitful with all the misunderstandings between the two sides cleared.

“Actually he was not sacked. We just made some changes in his role in the team. This happened because of communication gap between the two sides. We have cleared the communication gap between us and we will now work together,’’ Rai further added. “He can manage any team, but it has not been fixed which team it will be. We did not sack him, we just gave Bal Gopal Maharjan the role to handle the team. Maharjan is with the national team now, but their roles may change. Maharjan was just a replacement, it does not mean Raju Shakya was sacked.’’

Rai was also optimistic that the new leadership will make a lot of changes to the face of Nepali football and they have started pursuing the means to work for that. 

“It’s challenging, especially when you are in a transition phase. We also held discussions with the province and local level governments about our new plans and policies. The works have gathered momentum and the first three months have been successful,’’ Rai further clarified. 

The ANFA is now currently involved in the construction of a women’s football academy in Rautahat as it has submitted the documents for it. “We are in process to make a new football academy for women, the government is still to give approval for it. We will construct a new physical infrastructure for that.’’