Squad finalizes for SAFF

Male’, MALDIVES – Maldives national team coach, New Zealand born tactician has finalized his 30 man squad for the upcoming SAFF Suzuki Cup which will be held in India later this month.

Football Association of Maldives has previously said that national team will be departing to a Middle East country on 5th of this month for a two weeks training camp.

Ricki Herbert selected 11 players from Maziya Sports and Recreation Club, six players from Eagles, five players from New Radiant and two players each from Valencia and TC Sports and Ali Ashfaq and Mohamed Arif.

Previously Ricki has said that he is selecting the players for the national team based on their performance and potential.

“I don’t use ages or criteria for selection and what I used is potential and performance and these are the two categories that I am using. The players who of younger age, I can see that they are very potential and I think to move that potential forward they need to be put into a challenging environment. Which is the senior environment.” Ricki, who guided New Zealand in 2010 FIFA World Cup said to FAM website.

“I would say that some of them should be playing regularly in the league and they are not.”

“Why we have to select an experienced old player who is not performing well instead of a young potential player who can perform. I am not interested in somebody’s history that is really good two years ago. Who is maybe in the national team for the last two years because nobody made a decision not to use him?”

The following are the players selected for the SAFF Suzuki Cup:

1.Ibrahim Ifrah Areef

2. Ibrahim Abdulla

3. Mohamed Faisal

4. Ahmed Numaan

5. Ahmed Rizuwan

6. Ansar Ibrahim

7. Ismail Easa

8. Yasfaadh Habeeb

9. Mujuthaz Mohamed

10. Ali Samooh

11. Ali Ashfaq

12. Ahmed Imaaz

13. Ahmed Nashid

14. Ali Amdhaan

15. Asadhulla Abdulla

16. Hassan Shifaz

17. Ibrahim Haseeb

18. Imran Mohamed

19. Mohamed Samdhooh

20. Mohamed Saaif

21. Mohamed Irufan

22. Moosa Yamin

23. Mohamed Arif

24. Ahmed Shafiu

25. Ahmed Abdulla

26. Ali Ashad

27. Ali Fasir

28. Mohamed Hamza

29. Hassan Naiz

30. Mohamed Imran