ANFA President Ganesh Thapa made such declaration at a farewell program of the national team which left to compete in the SAFF Championship on Wednesday. [break]
"You just win the gold medal and come home back, you will be honored in such a way that you have not imagined. Besides that all the members of the team will be given monthly allowances of Rs 10,000 for whole life," Thapa said in an emotional tone.
"All sports lovers of the nation have big hopes on you. We are ahead than any other national associations in terms of facilities and professionalism in this region. We have got Graham Roberts as one of the best coach of this region."
"Your efforts will be evaluated by millions of Nepali at home through live telecast. Whole Nepal is backing you and you can win the tournament if you put your full effort," Thapa said.
Nepal is pitted in group A along with Maldives, Pakistan and Bangladesh in the biggest football tournament of South Asian Region. Nepal will open its campaign playing against Maldives on Friday, meet Bangladesh on Sunday and Pakistan on Tuesday. Group A consists of host India, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Bhutan.
The best result Nepal ever achieved in the SAFF was during the Goa SAFF in 1999. On that occasion, it made it to the semifinals but was knocked out of the tournament 2-0 by the Maldives.
Speaking at the same function, National Sports Council (NSC) Member Secretary Yubaraj Lama said that the football had great craze across the nation. "The country had expected a lot from football. Your victory can make millions of Nepali happy and defeat will make sad. So you put your whole effort in making the nation happy."
Minister for Youth and Sports Kamala Rokka well wished for the success of team and lamented on lack of facilities provided to players by the state. "The state has not yet been able to arrange ample facilities for players," Rokka said.
ANFA Vice President Lalit Krishna Shrestha is the leader of the 27-member team which consists of 20 players. Krishna Bhakta Shrestha is the manager and Graham Roberts is the head coach of Nepali team captained by Sagar Thapa. Upendra Man Singh and Meghraj KC are the assistant coaches.
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