National men's football team's training resumes
KATHMANDU, May 5: All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) has decided to continue Kumar Thapa as head coach of the national women's football team.
Thapa, who was in-charge of the national team during the SAFF Women's Championship held in India from December 26 to January 4, has been given the role from Thursday until another three months.
“ANFA has decided to continue him as head coach of the national women's football team for another three months and he has taken charge from Thursday as training has started,” said ANFA's CEO Indra Man Tuladhar.
“After three months we will review the contract analyzing the improvement and give him another three months contract,” added Tuladhar.
Meanwhile Thapa has retaken the charge from Thursday as the training of the national women's team has kicked off at ANFA Complex, Satdobato. “ANFA has given the responsibility of the women's team again. For now, the contract is for three months. They have said that it will be renewed after three months again analyzing the improvement of the team,” said former national team midfielder Thapa who guided Nepal to the semifinal of SAFF Women's Championship.
Thapa has called up 20 national players who were selected for SAFF alongside some other former national players in the national team training camp. However national players from Nepal Police Club didn't attend the training on the first day as they are mobilized for the election. “Our plan is to call former national players and other young players as well in the training alongside the national team that was selected for SAFF,” said Thapa.
Thapa said that the training will be conducted twice a week. “Our aim is to keep the national team in shape for the upcoming women's SAFF which will be held in Nepal at the end of 2018. For now, we will train twice a week,” informed Thapa.
ANFA's CEO Tuladhar said that ANFA is planning for friendly matches for both men's and women's teams. “We are planning to organize friendly matches for both national teams. As we are in early phase of planning, teams and date is yet to be finalized,” said Tuladhar.
Meanwhile, Tuladhar also informed that ANFA will organize first-tier football league after the elections. “We had planned to organize the league from April 28 but due to the elections scheduled for May 14 and June 14 we are unable to organize the league. We will conduct it after the completion of the elections,” informed Tuladhar. However he didn't reveal the date. “We are in discussion with our sponsors, once it is completed we will reveal the date very soon,” added Tuladhar.
Similarly the men's national football team also has resumed the training from Thursday.
National team head coach Gytoku Koji has called up 27 players who were selected for the closed camp for the preparation of AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers match against the Philippines, in the training.
However, some other players also likely to be added in the list according to coach Raju Kaji Shakya who is assisting Koji.
“For now, we have called up 27 players in the training camp but we are planning to add other four to five players as well,” said Shakya.
Meanwhile on the first day of the training at ANFA Complex, 15 players turned up.
Nepal which had lost its first match of the AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers against the Philippines 4-1 on March 28 will take on Yemen in the home match on June 13 in Kathmandu at Halchowk football ground.
Thapa appointed head coach for Nepali women's football team
