Very happy to be here – Popov

Jan 29, 2015 - 05:35:33 |
Popov with NC chairman, Mohamed Shaweed and Sports Minister, Maleeh Jamaal (MS photo: Ismail Affan)

Male’, MALDIVES – Maldives national team's newly appointed coach Velizar Popov has said that he is happy to be here in the Maldives and thanked FAM for giving the chance for him.

“I am always happy to be here and I would like to thank the new management of FAM for giving me this opportunity.”

In a press conference held at FAM House today Popov said that he has worked in few countries and Maldives players are much better than those players.

“Two years before I worked here and in the last two years I worked in Thailand and Oman and I can say Maldives players are same level or I would say much better than them.”

When asked about accpeting the offer from FAM Popov said that in his belief things are going on the right track in FAM now.

“Yes it was one reason and I know Ali Umar and I trust him. And the main reason is the players. Here I feel like home and everyone respects me. They are doing a good jod and I hope things will be better with the new changes.”

Popov also reiterated that he wants to work with all the clubs as a team and need to work throught out the year.

“My first target is to change something in the organization. If I have only four or five days before a tournament I can’t change anything. I want atleast one day in a week to train with national team players.”

“I want to work everyday and if any club wants my help, happy I will assist them. I am not here for holidays.”

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Imma on Jan 29
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Popov is a very demanding character and always pushes people to fulfill their potential. I know that Balak receives a lot of credit for the renaissance of New Radiant and rightly so, but often people forget the amount of work Popov put in behind the scenes to drive the club forward during his two years there. He is not someone who is going to be happy lounging in a resort with his family and doing all the work just a week before the SAFF Championship. This is in stark contrast to Urbanyi, who would fly off to Hungary for "family reasons" and stay there for months, leaving his coaching staff to pick the national team squad and do all the important work. Popov is going to demand change and I look forward to him dealing with the lax management personnel of Dhivehi League clubs and forcing them to become more proactive. I also applaud the appointment of Ismail Mahefooz and Assad Abdul Ghani as his assistants, as both of them are intelligent characters with insightful knowledge and experience who are well-respected by players and fans alike. Sign of good things to come, I hope.
Nizam on Jan 29
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great coach, you can change everything , good luck
boyko on Jan 30
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 He is very a good coach. He has this flamboyant, likable style, who will petrol his tecnical area from the beginning to the end of match, unexhausted, livid, coaxing and cajoling his players, motivating them to the limit of their physical endurance. He knows how to exhorts the maximum from the lads. Now that we know how he wants to work with the national team, the commitments he wants from all the clubs we can rest in peace that we have a man wholeheartedly willing to offer his every minute to the cause of national team. But there is one prblem  in his plan that i find almost impossible to translate into action. How can he possibly work with national team once a week when a long drawn league is progress. How is gonna bring the players when a league is warming up to the rival teams and players are in no mood for natinal duty without a competion round the corner? May be one practice session evey two weeks is possible.
Liam on Feb 01
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I agree, his idea of holding national team practices once a week is very difficult to fathom and is not the most realistic idea. It would be better to hold weeklong training camps before FIFA match dates. That is how the best nations like Germany do it. I think there are a total of 10 FIFA match dates throughout the year. Of course, if we are preparing for a tournament like the SAFF Championship then we will need to hold a longer training camp.
minivan on Jan 31
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he should not build the team around dhagey like others used to. instead try to make hampu our "neymar" like how brazillians did. and better make umair a centre midfielder (he is much better in that position and even he agrees that). he also needs to test out new keepers other than imran since he's getting older day by day. so basically imran rilwan shafy akram hokey umair bakaaa messi hampu ashfaq centey would make a great team. (asadhulla is great but he sometimes lacks the pace needed. maybe can be utilized at his best as a midfielder like how he used to be in valencia. messi has taken a U turn in his career and we expect great things from him since his great form last season.
ahmed on Jan 31
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FAM need to improve our league first, our small atolls islands have so many very gud players but they do not have the way to come on screen to show there ability. if we improve our league there is a way?

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