ANFA has been running training camps since last three weeks for the South Asian tournaments to be held in the first week of December in India.[break]
According to a senior official at ANFA, the association has been planning a trip to five different countries for training and practice matches. “If everything goes right, national team will start the foreingn trip right after the completion of Hindu festival Dasain,” he told to Republica.
The official said that the national team will visit Thailand, Philipines, Combodia, Malaysia, and Singapore. “SAFF Championship is very important tournament for us and we will do everything that is possible. Though we have alreay begun exploring the possibilities for sending the teams to five different countries, the final decision has yet to be made,” he added.
British coach of the national team, Graham Roberts, had tried to arrange practice matches with better teams before every international tournament, but ANFA was unable to manage such matches.
The official also said that the final decision about the proposed tours will be taken after ANFA President Ganesh Thapa returns Kathmandu. Thapa is on a foreign trip now.
Nepal has a poor track record in the SAFF Championship. Nepal has reached the semifinal only once in the last six editions of the championship. Nepal has been returning home from the group stage in every other occasion. Nepal has won only five matches, drawn 1 and lost 12 matches in the history of SAFF Championship.
“As our national team has performed well at international level in recent past, we expect much better performance in the upcoming SAFF Championship,” said the ANFA official.
According to the official, if ANFA succeeds in its plans to send the players abroad for training, the national team will go to India directly from there.
Meanwhile, a Philipines website, manilastandardtoday.com, quoted ANFA President Ganesh Thapa that Nepali naional team will take on the Azkals (national team of Philipines) in Octobar.
Thapa earlier informed Philippine Football Federation president Mariano “Nonong” Araneta that Nepali national squad is willing to face the Azkals when they tour the ASEAN region. The website quoted President Thapa that Nepali team is all set to tour Philippines before going to Cambodia to take on Cambodia U-23.
Meanwhile, a Philippines website, manilastandardtoday.com, quoted ANFA President Ganesh Thapa that Nepali national team will play against the Azkals (national team of Philippines) in Octobar.
Thapa earlier informed Philippine Football Federation president Mariano “Nonong” Araneta that the Nepali national squad is willing to face the Azkals when they tour the ASEAN region. The website quoted President Thapa that Nepali team is all set to tour Philippines before going to Cambodia to play against Cambodia U-23.
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