Ten Martyrs Memorial A Division League clubs on Thursday decided not to release their players for the national team camp for the SAFF Championship before the ongoing top tier league wraps up.

Nepal’s Italian coach Vincenzo Alberto Annes had named a 30-member preliminary squad on Tuesday and called them to the camp beginning on Thursday at a time when the title and relegation battle has intensified with only three rounds of matches remaining.

The Clubs also blamed All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) for calling the players unilaterally without holding any discussions with them. “The relegation and title battle is at its peak and the football governing body called the players for the camp without any discussion with us,” said Sankata president Indraman Tuladhar. “We could release the players only after the ongoing league concludes. How can a player who trains with the national team in the morning session again play to his optimum level during the match in the evening?”

ANFA’s spokesperson Suresh Shah said the football governing body did not discuss the issue with the club before calling the players to national camp. He however, said: “We had an understanding with the clubs before the start of the league that they would release the players for the national camp, if required.”

SAFF Championship is scheduled to take place from June 21 to July 4 in Bengaluru, India. Nepal are in a draw along with hosts India, Kuwait and Pakistan in Group A, while Group B consists of Lebanon, Maldives, Bhutan and Bangladesh. Kuwait and Lebanon were invited by the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) as guest teams.

The league is scheduled to conclude on June 10.

Machhindra, Khumaltar, Manang Marshyangdi, Sankata, Himalayan Sherpa, New Road Team, Friends, Satdobato Youth, Church Boys United and Three Star are the clubs to have issued a joint statement among the 14 top division clubs other than Jawalakhel Youth and three departmental teams – APF, Army and Police.

The 10 clubs have also decided to play wearing black armbands as a sign of protest against ANFA for their reluctance to release the remaining preparation fees for the league, match money and cash incentives to the player of the match.

ANFA had announced preparation fees of Rs3.2 million for the league and they gave Rs1.5 million each to all the top-tier clubs before the start of the league. But they have not released Rs 1 million after the end of the 13th round as per the agreement. As well, they are supposed to provide an additional Rs700,000 after the top-tier league wraps up. 

Khumaltar’s trouble deepens

Bottom-side Khumaltar Youth Club are now on the verge of relegation after their first season in the Martyrs Memorial ‘A’ Division League following their 1-0 loss against Manang Marshyangdi Club at the Dasharath Stadium on Thursday.

Khumaltar dropped foreign players including their top scorer and league’s second highest scorer Messouke Oloumou—16 goals—and Stephane Binong, both of whom missed the game because their work permit expired on May 31.

Despite missing their key stars, Khumaltar resisted Manang until the dying minutes and when it seemed they would finally escape with a draw, Roshan Rana’s powerful right-footed drive from the right of the arc of the area beat Khumaltar goalkeeper Rajkumar Limbu to find the back of the net.

Khumaltar’s bid for survival now hangs in balance as they—24 points—are three points adrift of safety with three matches remaining.

It could have gotten even more worse had Friends Club—who are also in danger of being relegated to ‘B’ Division League—won against Himalayan Sherpa Club. Both Friends and Sherpa were also playing without their foreign players due to issues with work permit and played a 0-0 stalemate at the Chyasal Stadium, leaving Khumaltar with thin hopes.

The draw left Friends in 13th position with 25 points.

Earlier at the Dasharath Stadium, Nepal Police Club continued their impressive form with a 1-0 victory over New Road Team.

Mosses Gyabaah Twum scored in the 76th minute to give Police their fourth straight victory. Police stayed in fourth position with 34 points. (SB)