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Finding game
by SURESH NEUPANE
| FROM ISSUE # 159 (March 2009) | IN THIS ISSUE | |||
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Football is finally changing in Nepal. Instead of relying on a few generous donations, there are corporations that finance games, advertisements, increasing salaries for the players and even fan clubs. 
The first name to strike while talking about Nepali football is Nabil Three Star football club. In the past seven years, Three Star has reached it's peak of success and at the same time, the players have seen a rise in their 'value'–they get paid better and have improved facilities. Players, who earned Rs 2-3,000 a month now receive at least Rs 7-8,000. When striker Nirajan Rayamajhi was 'bought' for a Rs 120,000 contract into Three Star, it caused a sensation–something like that was unheard of in Nepal.
Behind this change is Lalit Krishna Shrestha, spokesperson for the All Nepal Football Association and chairman of the popular Nabil Three Star football club from Lalitpur, who revolutionised the football scene in Nepal in a matter of a few years. Lalit started as the chairman in 1992, but came back to reclaim his post ten years later with new-found energy.
As chairman, he started organising programs to raise money and brought possible investors into the picture. Nabil Bank and Mayos Instant Noodles fund and advertise lots of games now. "It's a two-way gain," says Lalit, "They get the advertisement, and we get a name." He's also constructing a Rs 25 million six-storey business complex for the club and expects to generate a profit of upto Rs 5-600,000 per month, which will be used to make the club stronger.
One of the disappointing parts of Nepali football has always been the discomforting lack of audience. Lalit used to tour Patan to find football fanatics and bring them into Rangasala. Nowadays, Three Star matches usually mean a packed stadium with cheering and high spirits. In fact, Panauti already has a fan club of Three Star.
Therefore, football is not just a game at Three Star. The players have to, so to say, earn their stars to be in the club and those who are in are at the top of their game: Upendra Man Singh, who won the A devision league in 2006 and is considered Nepal's top goalkeeper, Bal Gopal Maharjan, striker Surendra Tamang, Mid-fielder Pradip Maharjan, Lokbandhu Gurung among others. Pradip and Lokbandhu have even played for a Bangladeshi club. Three Star has won the 2004 A devision league, the 2005 AAFC President Cup Semi-finals, the 2008 Sikkim Governor Gold Cup, the 2005 and 2007 Pokhara Aha Gold Cup and Buda Subba Gold Cup in 2007. The club recently created history by winning the Buda Subba Gold Cup once again making it a hatrick like the Nepal Police Club.Although the leagues were stopped for the last two years, they're soon to restart in March. Lalit is already preparing. He's been training 23 young men, who are 18-22 years old, under the Brazilian coach Fabio Katya Santos. He makes it a point to lift the boys' spirits, often counseling them.
Lalit explains it with a metaphor to the game: "It's teamwork, everything needs to be in tune for it to go smooth on the field."
i'm glad that nepal football industry is going slowly higher and higher.....hope they do the best.....and like wise all the club should try to give a good facilities that the player should get .....i'm a great fan of football....and hope all the game goes on smoothly......keep it up......