All Nepal Football Association
(ANFA) awarded 12 of its prized possessions this week. Since it started, Rupak
Memorial Awards have held its position in Nepali football. And it would have
saddened former national captain and FIFA referee Rupak Sharma - who passed
away in an unfortunate accident - to see that the award was discontinued for
some years.
For restarting the awards, ANFA
deserves a pat on its back. Restarting a discontinued event to an organization
is akin to a player trying to force his way back into the game after injury.
It's a mental fight, which gets tougher by every passing day. And ANFA should
be lauded. After all, these prizes are what makes the players struggle harder,
compete better.
However, much as the restart
needs to be congratulated, it should be critically viewed. There are some
chinks in the whole episode that should not be ignored and if not corrected in
time, would neither improve ANFA's image nor its working style. Some questions
would demand answer.
The first of them being, how can
we have two best players for every year? The awards are constituted to
felicitate excellence and unless the real best is awarded, the whole purpose is
lost. It is easy to select two each year as it gives selectors easier option of
not leaving the second best; but it compromises the dignity of awards. The
merit of awards comes under scrutiny. Mind you, it has not come as exception but
general rule. Second bests are second bests, no matter how good they are.
Silver medalists are never termed champions.
It would be sad to know that
ANFA, or the selection team headed by former national coach Bhim Thapa selected
two players for each year, just to please everyone. But awards are not meant
for keeping everyone happy. It is to honor and inspire excellence. Short cuts should
not be preferred.
The other question that could
pop up to an inquisitive mind, would be: How were Bikash Malla and Ritesh Thapa
named the best players of the year gone by. Now the point of argument should
not be mistaken here. It is not to diminish the service they have provided to
Nepali football. They have, to the best of their capability, done a good job
under the bars.
But the point here is, both
these players are not the first choice goalkeeper for the national team. It is Kiran
Chemjong, who has pushed his way as the number one keeper in Nepal. And his
name was missing from the list. How can the top one be left out and two second
bests are honored? We should note that Bikash Malla – who showed a lot of
promise during his earlier days – plays for the Army Club now, which has not
even been among the top 3 sides in the National League. If the reason to choose
these players over the top keeper is to appease someone, the award loses its
value.
One more question would come for
awarding Nirajan Rayamajhi for the year 2064. Nirajan has been a great servant
of Nepali football, he shares the record scoring most international goals for
Team Nepal along with Hari Khadka. But for the year in question, national league
was not held and Rayamajhi was playing for NRT, which hardly gets to play many
tournaments. How many matches did he play to get the award?
Rayamajhi deserves accolades and
also awards, for what he has been. But giving it to him for unjustified reasons
would only lower the nobility of the player and the award.
Some of players who have played
with distinction over these years, like Tashi Tsering, Kumar Thapa, Surendra
Tamang and national captain Sagar Thapa, are missing from the list. Their contribution
needs to be recognized.
One fact that should make ANFA
management happy is that 4 out of 8 awarded players are the product of first
batch of ANFA academy. This should be an indicator ANFA takes seriously, and
pump in more effort in grooming the players.
And as far as awards are
concerned, players should be happy that they're happening, at least…
(PS: The write-up appeared in
Yours Truly's weekly sports column - OFFSIDE - in The Kathmandu Post, on 27th
August, 2011)
Disclaimer: The picture shown in
the post is courtesy: www.myrepublica.com
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