Anjan Bista was expected to be in Laos on Tuesday. He would have a shot at becoming the leading goalscorer for Nepal in men’s football. But he was instead at Tripureshwar, Kathmandu, attending a press conference he himself organised.

Bista, a joint-highest leading goalscorer for the Nepali men’s team, was not included in the 23-member squad, a development that came as a shock for many.

“I believe I was not selected because I had just returned from a muscle injury,” Bista said at the press conference. “I had missed many games for New Road Team in the National League, and I think the new head coach couldn’t analyse my game properly.”

Bista, however, organised the press conference not only to speak about his exclusion from the squad but to officially announce the launch of his football academy—Anjan Bista Training Centre—and the organisation of ‘Next Gen Boot Camp’, a 10-day football training session for teenagers aged eight to 16.

The boot camp will begin on April 4 and end on April 13 at Buddhi Bikash Football Ground in Patan, Lalitpur, Bista announced.

Bista’s training centre has partnered with Arksh Food, 361°, NADA, Explorer Travel and Tours and A&S for the boot camp, which will see participants being coached under the likes of Sanoj Shrestha, Prabin Shrestha, Nishan Bhakta Shrestha and Rupesh KC, who are among Nepal’s better known football coaches.

Erick Bolwe Mputu, a foreign coach, will also be providing his insights to the youngsters during the camp.

“The camp is also part of our plan to scout emerging talents for our centre,” Bista said. “We have a long-term plan for this centre.”

Aspiring teenagers can apply for the camp through Instagram (AB14trainingcenter) or Facebook (Anjan Bista Football Training Centre).

The camp will cost Rs8,500 for registration and those with talent but lacking the financial means to pursue their passion would be provided with special discounts, organisers said.

For years, Bista had been a regular with the Nepal men’s football squad. He equalled the record for most goals with Hari Khadka and Nirajan Rayamajhi when he scored the equaliser against Laos in the first leg of the 2027 AFC Asian Cup Qualification-First Round on October 12, 2023. It was Bista’s 13th international goal for the country.

However, for almost three years, Bista has not found the back of the net to become the sole leading goalscorer for Nepal. And the chance for a major celebration got further postponed as he missed the match against Laos on Tuesday.

The lack of Bista in the team had also given rise to rumours that he would not continue with the national team. The rumours got weight as Bista has been raising his voice and participating in different protests against ANFA.

But during the press conference on Tuesday, Bista stressed that his playing days were not over.

“I am only 27, I still have five to six years to play in my prime,” Bista said. He added that the launch of a training centre was not a result of his plan to stop playing. “The training centre is a move to identify new talents and provide them with a proper platform,” he said.

Bista also argued that he was trying to give something back to the country.

“All the fame I have received is a result of representing the country. And I believe I should give something back in return,” Bista said while reciting a note he had prepared in a diary. “I want to show that football is not dead in Nepal.”