Interim coach Neupane to manage Nepal for friendly in November

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Oct. 23: The All Nepal Football Association (ANFA), on Monday, appointed Nabin Neupane as the interim head coach of Nepal’s men’s senior national team. The decision comes at a time when the post was vacant for a couple of weeks since the contract with the Italian coach Vincenzo Alberto Annese ended.

“The one-year contract with Annese was extended for some time before the post went vacant a couple of weeks ago. We are searching for a new foreign coach and Neupane will fill in the hole for now,” said Suresh Sah, ANFA’s spokesperson.

The ANFA, on September 16, announced a vacancy for the post of the head coach of the national men’s team. As per the vacancy announcement, the ANFA is looking for a pro license holder with experience in coaching at the senior men’s/women’s or professional level with a proven track record of success.

“We have received applications from over 400 pro license holders from across the globe. We are currently shortlisting a large number of applicants,” Sah informed.

Since the early 2000s, the Nepali men’s football team has seen foreign coaches from South Korea, Japan, India, Germany, England, the USA, Belgium, Sweden and Kuwait until Annese joined on March 1, 2023.

Nevertheless, despite the exposure to professional coaches, Nepali men’s football has not progressed as desired. Nevertheless, the ANFA’s search for a better coach and players continues.

“We do not know how long the new coach selection process will take. However, Neupane will be leading the team until a friendly in the November FIFA Window with Tajikistan. Whether the friendly will see a single or more match and information on the date of the games will be revealed in due time,” said Sah.

It is the first time that Neupane is overseeing a national team. He has experience working as an assistant manager for the A-Division Manang Marsyangdi Club and worked as the head coach for the Tribhuvan Army Club until July 2023. He then rejoined Kathmandu Kickers as head coach for their youth and senior teams. But now, he will be caretaking the national men’s team of Nepal.

Meanwhile, alongside Neupane as the head coach, the ANFA appointed Chetan Ghimire as the Assistant Coach and Nabin Maharjan as the Goalkeeping Coach, both on an interim basis. All three coaches received their appointment letters from ANFA general secretary Kiran Rai on Monday.

Moreover, Neupane also called a 36-men preliminary squad for a closed camp to prepare for the friendly in November. 

Squad

Goalkeepers: Kiran Chemmong, Bishal Sunar, Deep Karki, Abhishek Baral, Jiyarath Sheikh, Krishal Moktan

Defenders: Ananta Tamang, Tshering Lama, Semanta Thapa, Rohit Chand, Bimal Panday, Nirmal Ghising, Sanish Shrestha, Bibek Chaudhary, Randip Poudel, Anjel Maharjan, Sabin Ghimire, Abhishek Waiba

Midfielders: Laken Limbu, Rohan Karki, Mani Lama, Utsav Rai, Bharat Khawas, Kushal Deuba, Arik Bista, Ashish Rai, Abhinash Syangtan, Manish Dangi, Ayush Ghalan, Ujwal Rai

Forwards: Gillespye Jung Karki, Anjan Bista, Sumit Shrestha, Sanjeev Bista, Samir Tamang, Nirajan Dhami