False Allegations and Miscommunication from Coach led to misinterpretation: ANFA

Kathmandu – Amid escalating tensions between the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) and head coach of the women’s national football team, Patrick De Wilde, ANFA has publicly accused the coach of mismanagement and miscommunication alongside.  In a press conference held today, ANFA claimed that the controversy regarding the team captain during the Asia Cup Qualifiers was a result of the coach’s actions.

The press conference was organized after coach Patrick sharply criticized Nepal’s management during the Asia Cup Qualifiers. He alleged that players were not provided with even basic facilities and infrastructure, further hinting that he might leave the team. His remarks have raised serious concerns about the future of women’s football in Nepal. About basic hotel management to kitchen commodities were the topic of complain from Head coach. However, ANFA refuses to agree upon these allegation marking it false.

Sarila Shrestha, the Head of Delegation for the team that traveled to Uzbekistan, clarified that the head coach submitted the name of the captain only at the last moment before the first match. Since the AFC (Asian Football Confederation) required the captain’s name in advance and it was not provided in time, ANFA had to nominate a senior player, Renuka, as captain.

She explained, “We had proposed to announce the captain during the team’s farewell program. But the head coach insisted on deciding it on the spot, and we agreed without any objections. The first match was between Laos and Nepal. As per AFC rules, the name list had to be submitted 90 minutes before the match. The list was to go first to the FA and then to the AFC. Since we hadn’t received it from the coach, we couldn’t even provide it to the FA.”

Shrestha said that although she repeatedly asked the coach for the name, he insisted he couldn’t submit it earlier than 90 minutes prior to the match. “The match commissioner from AFC was repeatedly asking for the name list with a strict deadline. The head coach finally provided it just 5 minutes before the 90-minute deadline,” she added.

She also revealed that it was only after Renuka was called to wear the captain’s armband that the coach stated that Sabitra was the  captain.