Full of excuses

Jan 20, 2016 - 06:47:54 | Shimaaz Ali
Maldives head coach Ricki Herbert

Just few days after the SAFF Suzuki Cup we heard the comments from some of the coaching staffs of Maldives national team saying that they didn’t have any responsibilities to work as assistant coaches.

Coach Ricki Herbert met with two assistant coaches, Ismail Mahfooz and Assad Abdul Ghani and goalkeeper coach Aslam Abdul Raheem separately and he said to them that they don’t have any qualities to work with him.

Well, Ricki Herbert is a player who represented New Zealand in the FIFA World Cup and also he was the head coach of New Zealand in the 2010 FIFA World Cup with a UEFA Pro license.

Yesterday we have witnessed that Maldives football team lost to Nepal by 4-1 in the semi final of Bangabandhu Gold Cup. This is the first time that the Maldives lost to Nepal in the last 17 years.

Most importantly Nepal team consists of 3 senior players and all the other players are from their U23 and U19 team. And their coach Balgopal Maharajan is having AFC B license certificate. It’s a shame that a UEFA Pro coach was beating by an AFC B license certificate with most of the players are from their Olympic and U19 team.

Maldives coach Ricki Herbert said previously that his main target for the Bangbandhu Gold Cup is to prepare his team for the upcoming SAF Games, which will be held in India next month.

Coach Ricki Herbert used almost all the players in the squad during the four games played in the tournament and most of the players are not eligible to play for the U23 team. Samooh Ali, Qasim Samaam, Naiz, Imaz and Hamza are the only players eligible to play for the U23 team among the players who were used during most of the matches.

Still can I say he is preparing the team for the SAF Games or testing the players for the upcoming tournament? Yes he can take three senior players but how about the goalkeeper. Did he give any chance for a young keeper starting from the match against Bhutan in the FIFA World Cup Qualifier until the match against Nepal in the semi final of Bangabandhu Gold Cup? The answer is NO. So, still the coach is preparing the team for the SAF Games!

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Reality on Jan 20
Like 16
Dislike 0
Licence doesn't count anything but the commitment
Jauube on Jan 20
Like 8
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Mr. Herbert learn something from team captain Adubarey , he said apologies for the results in this tournament from the Maldivian supporters, and one thing Adubarey said, THIS is a Tournament we can win and go home with a Triphy, mr, Rickie Herbert what u say about this from your captain, SHAME ON YOU
foari on Jan 20
Like 15
Dislike 3
so far the best coach to me is URBANYI with him team played well ... finishing is the problem with him ... in these matches loosing isn't a problem ... but without competitive play that's a BIG problem I support this coach before last semifinal ... why he kept hamza in the bench ... in suzuki cup he kept bakaa in the bench ...
footballmad on Jan 21
Like 7
Dislike 0
If the assist. coaches are employed by FAM, then only the FAM can make them leave. If the association wants them to contribute in the training, it should be made clear to Herbert and he would accept that as the employee of FAM. In terms of our weakest areas, midfield and particularly defensive strategy (not defenders themselves), watch the English Premiership's Leicester city's resilient and robust approach and I think we can use them as a template. Now that we are established as underdogs against India, Afghanistan, Nepal, we need such a strategy, unless match time leaders like Imraan, Bakaa and Ashfaq are back in the first 11.
commentator on Jan 21
Like 8
Dislike 1
I really doubt Habert have any plans to stay as Maldives coach for a reasonable time. From what I read he joined for short term. I believe FAM wanted results and got a high profile coach when he became available. This guy is ripping apart a team including players and officials while he does not have any plans to stay and finish the changes he is talking about. I hope I am wrong.
Aya on Jan 21
Like 9
Dislike 1
Licence doesn't make you a good coach,but many people didn't know that.Also attitude of Ricky over his assistant coaches is unacceptable.And last, if we want to have good national team we have to bring many foreign coaches in to work on club level, otherwise our players will not improve.
Lailaaa on Jan 21
Like 6
Dislike 2
Rickie Herbert and Milan work very hard in and out to achieve and good luck 2 boys
Fan on Jan 21
Like 6
Dislike 2
criticisms are understandable given the high profile nature of this coach but he also can do so much. It is up to the players to absorb his strategy and tactics and enact what they learn on the pitch. Coach alone is not responsible for our players failure to string more than two passes, its not coach’s fault our shooting in the final third is bad. It boils down to thier lack of proper management in their under 16 and and under 19. A coach cannot correct those things overnight. Yes there had been many what if senerios coach could have done this or that. But you cannot blame squarly everything on coach’s shoulder. FAM should be answerable to the half of teams problems.
sports journo on Jan 21
Like 7
Dislike 2
Mv sports journalists and media outlets have been putting this argument that Maldives is playing with a young side, repeating what the coach says without any question. When Coach says he is trying to build a team by having young players why didn't a single sports journalist raise the point "hey coach but you only have about 5 young players in the whole team"..
Brave Yard on Jan 21
Like 9
Dislike 2
Please note, that I'm not someone being related to the coach nor I know him or have I known him before, so for that I can't judge his work. But what I can judge is, the funny attitude, that people think, that if someone with a higher certificate is in charge of a team, that it'll immediately bring the results. People of Maldivian football, I'm a foreigner and believe me I know how football works. Instead of talking about someone's certificate or the players he have in his squad or the players in the opponents squad, note that the most important thing in football is Teamwork. If you have a full working team and with team I mean from the position of the kit manager, the one who carries the bottles, your midfielder, your defender or even the smallest position in your team only then it'll work. Performance doesn't come from the paper, but from the work together! Note!
Malcolm on Feb 21
Like 2
Dislike 0
Ricky is poor skilled coach with thousands excuses,i know Ricky skill/style/experience,i live in new Zealand for last twenty years,Ricky is sack as a coach national team,and wellington fc club play in Australian league,he is sack same time,because of poor game,Ricky like retired player to play more than young talented,he is always close to retired player who cannot run hundert meter in the field,.Ricky did not coach anyone overseas except Maldives,.poorly coaching game, he think uefa profi is something i have uefa a,b,uefa profi,born in europe,so what,everyone can get uefa a,b,uefa profi,ok
Jilla on Jan 21
Like 3
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Lucky India is not in the tournament , if India is there , Ricky Herbert wants to play semi final against India like in Suzuki cup, reason he knows it!!!!!!!!!, and we knows it, and it's coming info
makit on Jan 21
Like 6
Dislike 3
Can we stop treating this coach like garbage? It’s been only months, give him some time before giving him your professional verdict!
footballmad on Jan 22
Like 2
Dislike 2
Waiting to hear of the new squad for the upcoming tournament...MS, be the first to be there...
Nml on Feb 19
Like 0
Dislike 4
Actually I would say the coach is not to be blamed , nepal team is getting better match by matches . And the new changes in the Nepalese team, exclusion of those wo were involved in the match fixing scandals including the ex captains and vice captains since 2008 have transforms the whole team into the new dimension. If Nepal is to get facilities like india and maldives , I can see this team qualifying in the asian cup soon.
Daniel on Feb 21
Like 2
Dislike 0
Ricky Herbert is full excuses,he did not get anything in coaching new Zealand,since world cup,but why they sack him after,he lost all game for the second time fifa 2014.he promise to beat mexico,hey mexico trash kiwis in two game 9-2,Ricky is sack after that night he coach fc phoenix wellington,he is sack same time as kiwi head coach,Ricky style of old fashion game,his any game style doesn't exist,he dont have skill/even have uefa pofi licence,he is just coach,every coach can be Ricky Herbert,his uefa profi telling you,he did not coach anywhere anyone successfully,he did not coach anyone in the world after new Zealand,Maldives,he coach some local game in India,couple of months,he coach couple months in papua new guinea,thats all,Ricky dont have skill in coaching,if he think he is a great coach,why anyone did not ask him to coach except Maldives,Ricky is struggling coach with no skill of a game,.

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