Problems in Nepali Football Club

2014-04-26
Even though All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) claims the Nepali league structure to be semi- professional, most of the clubs lack regular sources of income and thus far to turn professional.  Almost every A Division Football Club from the Kathmandu Valley is paying Rs 10,000 to Rs 60,000 per month to a Nepali football player, whereas foreign players remunerated 800 Dollars to 1500 Dollars. Most clubs were found to have approximated Rs 50, 00000 to Rs 120, 00000 for their single season. However, except recently relegated clubs, New Road Team (NRT) and Ranipokhari Corner Team (RCT) along with seven time league champions Manang Marshyagdi Club (MMC), Friends Club, Sankata Club, Jawalakhel Youth Club, Saraswoti Youth Club, Nepal Police Club, Nepal Army Club and Armed Police Force do not have regular income source to maintain their expenses.

Clubs like Himalayan Sherpa Club, Three Star Club, Machhindra Football Club are depending on their sponsors, they do not have regular income source except the sponsors. Champions Manang Marshyagdi Club has different projects to maintain its expenses; the club has started the apple farming in Manang district in association with Manang Sewa Samiti and is sharing revenue from the sales of herbs in the district. MMC is generating Rs 400, 0000 to Rs 500, 0000 per year from that project.  Similarly, NRT, Sankata Club and RCT endured their clubs from leasing their club houses in prime locations of Kathmandu and they are generating Rs 100, 00000 per year. Machhindra Football Club and Himalayan Sherpa Club on other hand used to raise money from lotteries and donations. Though maximum football clubs like Three Star Club, Himalayan Sherpa Club, Friends Club, Machhindra Football Club, Saraswoti Youth Club, Jawalakhel Youth Club, and Nepal Police Club are sponsored by Laxmi Bank Ltd, Yeti Airlines, Nepal Investment Bank Ltd, NMB Bank Ltd, Simrik Airlines, Samsung Corporation, and Nepal Telecom Limited respectively, clubs should think about the fixed long term income and they should think about income through business like NRT, RCT, Sankata Club are doing. Friends Club, Saraswoti Youth Club, and Jawalakhel Youth Club are enjoying the income through hoarding board at Lalitpur area. We are not talking that sponsorship is bad for football clubs actually we appreciated sponsors but we are arguing that clubs should think about the fixed long term income through the business. Nepali football club may adopt following investment plan to generate fixed long term income.
a) Invest in fixed capital assets like land, building, apartment, business complex
b) They can sale their brand name in form of merchandizing materials
c) They can build football academy by which they can earn through transfer  of players

Almost all Nepali football clubs are recruiting foreign players paying them 800 – 1500 dollars per month which is equivalent to Nepali Rupee Rs 80,000 – Rs 150,000 per month. Instead of investing almost doubled money to the foreign players club can invest to build an academy so that they can hire such talents from the academy. This will help to strength the national football club since recently completed A Division League did not produce a fresh and young talent footballer and it does not contribute to our national football team. Even our star national footballers failed to meet their standards which are bad for our national team.

By:  Munankarmip