SAFF- Oppurtunity Up for Grabs

SAFF football is just around the corner and the quest for much needed glory in Nepali football is about to begin. 20 years since the start of regional football competition, Nepal has nothing substantial to show for. The tournament could not have come at right time for Nepal. While the country is in stalemate, a tournament win could be paving stone for happy days, or a loss would be just another chapter of sad days of Nepal. As I see, there is nothing to lose for Nepal and everything to gain for. Although we are playing in home, we are not considered title favorites and that helps us in some ways. We are tabled in the group of deaths. There are opportunities to be grabbed and plenty to play for.

Nepal’s build up to the much awaited tournament has to be said fair. The team is back to homeland having toured two gulf countries, playing 5 matches, winning 4 of them. Whatever may be the strength of opposition, Nepal team would have loved to have wins under the belt. After all winning is a habit, which Nepal has acquired. It would also have been helpful to players to be in the right kind of mood and shape. A nice play combination must have been established.

 The strikers look like are firing. Again, it is about feeling good about being in the field, determination to be in the right place, making the opportunities and making opportunities count. Goals of any nature would have helped them. It is not time to criticize strikers for their failure in the past; they need our support which there will surely be plenty of. I believe Nepal has to play with two strikers; constantly changing position because that will keep the defenders engaged and create space in the midfield. Football is a team game and it is not only striker’s fault to not score goals. It is important to understand that there have not been enough balls from the midfield for them to play with.

Play from the midfield is dependent on the formation team plays in. Jagjeet Shrestha (if totally fit) is a sure starter and he is the most important player for Nepal, in other words playmaker. But I have a problem, if he has not got pace to work with his skills, opposition will easily close him down and Nepal may never get going. So it is important for team to have someone easily available around him to receive pass and distribute the play. Play in the midfield must be such that there are always multiple passing opportunities. We need players in midfield who can ride out the challenge, both defensively and offensively.  Mid fielders who can move the ball very quickly while in attack and while defensively close the opposition and slow the pace of the opposition must be included in the team set up.

Five of the six defenders selected for the tournament will surely start any game. If opposition can beat our defense in anything, that is in pace. There are experienced players in the defense, so defense may not be a big problem for Nepal. It is occasional lack of concentration while going for goal, that Nepal often concedes a goal. Nepal win not concede too many goals, so that should not be a problem.

All in all, this is the best side we can gather and the team looks balanced. What is important is the team to play as a team and to play for each other and for the crowd. All the fans want to see is a determined performance. It is important for players to understand that this is the last opportunity for them to create glory and make name in the history. International careers of most of the players are in line and they too must be determined to create history. The team is fairly unchanged for almost about 3-4 years with occasional new names, so they all understand each other.

I believe Nepal has to play very tactical game. Best team according to the tactics should be fielded from the start. Nepal always starts brightly but that slowly fades as the game progresses, and opposition gains confidence. The crowd goes erratic and Nepal loses all the momentum. So, Nepal should go on aggressively from the start and try to create chances. The crowd will be after them, opposition will take time to settle. Scoring early will help everyone settle and the crowd will surely win the match for us.

Other thing is the players taking on chances. Someone from midfield taking shots on target will always encourage the crowd. A powerful shot will always bring different factors in play. A deflection may result in a goal, or the team can get set play to work with. Why not keep the ball in opposition half?  Being thoughtful in match should also be helpful for Nepal, like taking the freekicks early, making most of the tackles and getting into referee’s ear to bring out card for opposition players. These small things are important in football.

A regional tournament against some fierce local rivals is surely going to be fascinating. There is nothing to lose for Nepal and a place in history to be gained. So bring on, we are all ready to get behind the team.