Yes, it was a disappointing result against host, India in the semifinal of 2015 SAFF Suzuki Cup which the Maldives lost to India by 3-2. We were forced to experience the bitter taste of losing to India in the semifinal for a record fifth time and third time in a row.
There are ups and downs in football, sometimes we perform well and sometimes not well. The question now is that our performance throughout this year’s tournament is well enough or was that the best performance with the so called youngsters.
Maldives coach Ricki Herbert said in each and every single press conference that he is building a new team with young players. The reality is that yes there are 7 players below 25 years old within the 20 players he selected for the team and the average age of 2015 SAFF Suzuki Cup squad is 25.9 years. But the average age of 2013 SAFF Suzuki Cup squad is 24.2 years.
Now the point is that we all have witnessed the performance of the team and also the mistakes that they have done on the field. And every single one who watched the game and even the coach has talked about the defensive mistakes from the team. If the coach gave the chance to young players and building a team for the future, why he gave Samooh Ali just one chance which is against Afghanistan. Isn’t he good enough to play? Or his performance against Qatar and China in the FIFA World Cup Qualifying matches not enough?
Yes Hamza, Naiz, Ansar and Imaz are young and promising players. The reality is that Ansar was injured when he was selected for the squad. Is it a deliberate thing to include Ansar in the squad just to show excuses about the young players! It seems like that the coach is trying to show excuses repeatedly talking about young players. When the organizers of the tournament called for the players for a press conference coach will brain wash the players and will tell them what to say and everyone was speaking about the good things of Coach Ricki Herbert.
I just want to share this comment made by one of Maldivesoccer’s visitors just after the semifinal match against India.
“I would like to reiterate the comments I previously made. Maldives is semifinal material in SAFF Championship and to go beyond the semifinal stage we have to give away presents to the opposing teams. The goals conceded today by Maldives were soft and I also mentioned earlier that Afghan and India will be sterner tests for Maldives and the results against both teams have proved that I was right in saying that. We have talented youngsters and we have experienced players but having both crops of players does not guarantee us results. The style of play Coach Ricky wants to instill will not come overnight and for that to happen local teams need to take up TACTICS FOOTBALL which is the way forward which I see only being played by Valencia. Without doing this and assembling a team, going on a training camping does and will not provide results as the style of local football does not allow Coach Ricky to move towards progress.”
I have no idea about the person who posted this comment. But my question is that if we want success to national teams, the clubs have to appoint coaches based on the work plan of the national team? Or he has to appoint the club coaches where he can monitor or guide the clubs to his philosophy or his style of football.
We have never said that we can get the results in an overnight, we have to work hard and we must do many things on and off the pitch to be succeeded.
The other question is that whether the governing body of Maldives football, Football Association of Maldives (FAM) fulfilled everything that the coach requested them for the SAFF Suzuki Cup. Based on the interviews given by the coach, FAM gave him the chance that he requested. He requested to play four or five friendly games before the tournament and he showed his happiness after the seven day training camp in Malaysia.
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