| Neighbours on the track while Maldives without a coach
25 October 2005
MALE' Maldives - Neighbouring nations like Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal has already started to comibe a national team for the upcoming SAFF Champioship and Asian Cup Qualification. All of these countries has appointed coaches for these tasks.
Pakistan has started their selection trials which began two days ago in Pakistan Sports Complex. The Pakistan coach, Suleman Ahamad Shirada, who is from Bahrain would be accompanying the team in the Asian cup qualifiers which will be on November 11th and November 17th.
More than 70 players would appear for the trials in the coming four days. And out of which only 30-35 players would be shortlisted. Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) will have a training camp ahead of the SAFF championship. The dates for the camp have not yet finalized by the PFF.
Pakistan will play the away qualification match against Bangladesh for the Asian Cup on November 11 and then entertain the same opponents at home for a qualification tie on November 18.
Talking to APP, Pakistan's Bahraini coach Suleman Ahmad Shirada, lent by the government of Bahrain to the PFF, said he would asses the strength of various leading teams of the country over the coming days before working with national senior and junior lots on long term basis. "I need to see the players in competitive matches before selecting the talented players and working with them on long term basis," said Shirada who has also coached Bahrain's national senior and junior teams. It was Shirada who coached the Bahrain side that beat Japan 1-0 in away qualification match for the World Cup. Under his coaching, Bahrain has beaten strong Asian teams.
Nepalese senior team has undergone for the first round training session at ANFA Complex, Satdobato under the supervision of Coaches Maheshor Mulmi, Dhruba K.C.
ANFA has called up probable 40 players and started first round training session. After the training sessions Nepal would select the best line up for the SAFF championship
Meanwhile Srilankan's Kit Premier League matches are going on where as Indian's Federation Cup will end on 25th of this month. There has been no news of Practices of the national teams so far.
Football Association of Maldives is yet to confirm about the coach. Joseph Yankez who brought success for the national team in the previous SAFF championship is yet to come.
"I cannot give any information regarding the coach" said Hussain Rasheed, the general secretary of FAM.
Yankez's arrival was expected in the middle of this month so that he could witness the President's cup matches and help in the selection. FAM has cancelled this year's President of Maldives Invitational Soccer Cup or POMIS CUP, in order to give more time to the National team's preparation for SAFF Championship.
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TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
GROUP A : Pakistan, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan
GROUP B : Bangladesh, India, Bhutan, Nepal
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