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Report
A time for celebration or introspection?
Date: 27 November 2006
By: Mohamed Niyaz
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 Many too look on Stoikov's tactics |
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One nation, one hope - another tournament but the same coach, can he deliver the goods? Few doubt his ability in the dugout but national team’s recent performances have thrown up a slew of unanswered questions. The few days ahead will prove a time for celebration or deep introspection. Granted, it's an uphill task for the coach and management at a time when our football is badly wounded – by popularity, at club and national level.
As a nation however small we are - by geography or population; however low our FIFA ranking by our overambitious standards, our patriotism knows no bounds when it comes to national sporting events; especially boys - in green, red and white - fight it out for supremacy in this particular discipline of sports known as soccer.
Nevertheless of late our enthusiasm and passion towards this exciting enterprise - the beautiful game we identify as our national game - seems to has taken a severe beating, so alarmingly that it’s now in a state of a impasse. Poor marketing and competitiveness among first division teams, false hope and inept preparation for both the clubs and national teams respectively have taken a heavy toll on pastime long been a national obsession. Today too little too late dwindling supporters are the ultimate nail on the coffin.
Not without reasons. How many times did they - coach, management and players - leave this shore promising to return home with that elusive gold, how many times did that overhype and expectations take us to the dreamland of nirvana only to look us glaringly in the eye empty-handed; how many times we were a living spectacle to the shock and disbelief when defeat was snatched from the jaw of victory.
Obviously patience will snap; the least you can do! Little wonder how deep you would have dug into the claws of frustrations. Many a time when we think we are on the verge of tremendous milestone in a nation’s history, nature somehow intervenes to remind us our immaturity - both physically and psychologically. Think of all those moments when we thought we were on our way home with a gold medal. Since 1991 this is how we and our life have been.
In this year’s SAFF games when national team boarded the plane for Pakistan we already knew our destination. We patted our own back - ok, it’s time boys came home with it, deep down an inner voice assured us, it’s your time to win a gold medal. Who would not, the talent was vast; a well-drilled defense line boasting the most lethal striking force in the region; yet, we returned home – egos bruised, crestfallen. Again and again a nation teeters on its knees under the burdens of its own expectations and broken dreams. Yet again are we?
On 29th November when they take on Iran, later Hong Kong or India you may hardly notice a Maldivian under-23 national team going about somewhere in Qatar, to represent us in football. You don’t need a teacher to tell us why a majority of football lovers prefer to ignore them this time. We know the team and their strength; if not present coach is generous enough to inform how his latest preparation has gone. Well, till now no word has been muttered on that front that could pre-decide the fate of a nation’s progress in this tournament.
But what an important lesson it had been last time the same team looked for that gut-spilling glory in the subcontinent! Citing lack of time and match practice the same man expected people to believe the unexpected: team is not fully prepared please don’t expect ‘miracles’. End of the story for him but it’s a beginning of a debate for many people praying for some fine stuff from the youngsters. It may not be our business but when the people in the business kill a nation's hope in such fashion any patriotic Maldivian will cry foul and, while this rhetoric hardly did justice to his coaching credentials this kind of Mourinho-style antics left a lot to be desired.
Yet again he’s at the helm of affairs. At the end of this tournament his employer FAM will know where we are headed; whether their employee is still able to imbue what he’s hired for or look for a fresh face. Who wants a generation of raw talent to rot in the throes of ineptitude or a mentor outgrown his utility?
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