In its debut season in the top flight, Sherpa finished the National League -- that concluded on Sunday in Butwal -- in the second position with 19 points, two points behind champion Nepal Police Club. [break]In the Martyrs Memorial League that concluded six months ago in the capital, the team had secured the fifth position.
Sherpa lost only one of the nine matches played in the National league, winning six matches and playing two draws. It is a remarkable achievement by the youngest team in the current top-flight football.
The club, established in 2006, has not looked back ever since it qualified for the C division in 2008. In 2007, the club competed in the C division qualifiers but failed to make the cut. However, it qualified for the C division next year, emerged as the champion in its debut season and earned promotion to the B division.
In 2009, the club qualified for the A division as it finished the B Division League conducted by All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) as the runner-up.
In its very first participation in an official A division tournament, the club lifted the title of Knockout Football Tournament held some eight months ago in Kathmandu. Besides this, the club also won the Simara Gold Cup and the Workers Martyrs Memorial Gold Cup the same year. In the past three years, the club has lifted titles of nearly half-a-dozen tournaments.
The club´s president Karma Chhiring Sherpa, who is also its founder president, revealed that proper planning and implementation, financial and players´ management as well as regular training were the key factors in the club´s success. "Discipline is vital for achieving success," he opined.
President Sherpa credited players, club officials and coach Upendra Man Singh for the success achieved in the National League.
Coach Singh also echoed Sherpa´s views. "Sound environment and players´ hard work during training sessions and matches were the key factors in our success," said Singh, also a former national team captain. "Our achievement in the National League was a result of continuous training. Each player carried out the duty assigned to him on and off the field."
"I never had to worry when my team was on the field as I used to teach them what was required in a particular match," he added.
Team captain Sagar Thapa credited the success to the coach, management and his teammates. "Now our aim is to become the league champion in the future," said Thapa. "Our team has no stars and everyone believes in teamwork and plays from the heart," he added.
Managing a club properly is a greater challenge than setting it up. Lack of regular income sources is a big problem for Nepali clubs. However, Himalayan Sherpa has been managing its annual budget of Rs 8 million till date. The club received Rs 2.5 million from sponsor Yeti Airlines and co-sponsors in the current season, while the club accumulated Rs 2.7 million from its life members. According to President Sherpa, the remaining amount was raised by mobilizing internal resources and through donations.
"We don´t go begging for donations but try to persuade our well-wishers and supporters through our performance and results," said President Sherpa, adding that they have a strong fan base. "The presence of supporters on the parapets of Dasharath Stadium and in Pokhara and Butwal is the proof of our fan base," said Sherpa.
Sherpa said that the club will be in a position to generate sustainable resources only after three or four years.
Three players -- Dinesh Karki, Jangbo Sherpa and Subash Limbu -- in the current squad are Sherpa´s products and have been with the club since it was in the C division.
At present, the club is training 24 SLC graduates. President Sherpa said at least four new players from among them would be eligible to play for the club in the next season.
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