Final selection of national squad for friendly match against Indonesia

All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) has revealed 22 members of final squad for friendly match against Indonesia on June 25 in Malang, Indonesia. Final squad will have some new comers as U-16 defender Ananta Tamang, U-19 custodian Alan Neupane will play their debut match for Nepal. Similarly, ANFA axed veteran custodian Ritesh Thapa and forward Santosh Sahukhala from the squad. There are six forwards, six defenders, seven midfielders and three custodians in the squad. Nirajan Malla has been recalled for the friendly match after a long time.

Final squad for friendly match against Indonesia

Goalkeepers: Kiran Kumar Limbu, Bishal Shrestha, Alan Neupane
Defenders: Sagar Thapa( Skipper) ,Sandip Rai, Biraj Maharjan, Rabin Shrestha, Rohit Chand, Ananta Tamang
Midfielders: Bhola Nath Silwal, Jagjeet Shrestha, Bikram Lama, Shiva Shrestha, Raju Tamang, Prakash Budathoki, Nirajan Malla
Forwards: Jumanu Rai, Anil Gurung, Bharat Khawas, Deepak Rai, Ashim Jung Karki, Bimal Gharti Magar
Coach: Jack Stefanowski
Goalkeeping Coach: Upendra Man Singh

Absent squad for friendly match against Indonesia

Goalkeepers: Ritesh Thapa, Bikash Malla
Defenders: Sabindra Shrestha, Jitendra Karki, Bijaya Dhimal
Midfielders: Sushil KC, Tanka Basnet, Sujal Shrestha, Sulav Maskey
Forwards: Karna Limbu, Hemanta Thapa, Santosh Shahukhala

Meanwhile, national team coach Jack Stefanoswski expressed his dissatisfaction towards the fitness level of national players. According to Polish, there are few days remaining for friendly match against Indonesia and the major concern for the match would be the fitness level of players. The main question at the moment would be can Nepal make us proud.

Following would be the drawbacks for national team

a) Short preparation time
b) Fitness level of players
c) Blunt forwards line
d) Quite shock that the squad does not have best players of A Division League 2070 BS namely Karna Limbu, the best forward and highest goal scorer of the tournament with 11 goals, Sushil KC , the best midfielder of the tournament and Hem Gurung, the best defender of the tournament.
e) Same squad of footballers with old faces who did not give good result in previous friendly matches and tournaments
f) National team may lack practice matches and their only practice match was against Nepal U -16 team in which formal hardly beat latter with a solitary goal through Bharat Khawas
g) National team is playing against Indonesia in their home ground and latter beat Pakistan by 4 goals in the friendly match
h) No playing set in national team

Controversy in squad selection

a) Ashim Jung Karki has been selected despite his poor form in A Division League 2070 BS with 2 goals
b) Tanka Basnet was not selected despite in good performance in knockout tournament Bir Ganesh Man Singh Gold Cup 2014
c) This is friendly match so national team should give chances to fresh young talented players instead of old footballers

At last this is the friendly match so coach should give chance for young lads instead of same old starting XI. Bishal Shrestha should replace Kiran Kumar Limbu in custodian followed by Ananta Tamang and Bimal Gharti Magar in place of Sandip Rai and Anil Gurung.