Kathmandu, September 11
Amid reports that the All Nepal Football Association is preparing to decide the fate of head coach Abdullah Al Mutairi, the controversial coach unilaterally says he decided to resign.
“After 525 days in the service of Nepali football, I announce the end of my tenure as coach of the Nepal national team,” he wrote on Facebook, “Thank you to everyone who supported me on this journey that was not without moments of joy, love, sadness and pain.”
An ANFA source says it is now looking forward to hiring a European coach.
Updated at 4:25 pm
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ANFA to decide Abdullah Al Mutairi’s fate in 1 month
Kathmandu, September 11
Nepal football-governing body, All Nepal Football Association (ANFA), says it will decide whether to continue working with controversial football coach Abdullah Al Mutairi.
Al Mutairi, who has been constantly controversial since his appointment in Nepal in early 2021 is highly unlikely to return to Nepal as the coach. Following the Nepal football-governing body’s election in June, there is no favourable environment for his return to Nepal.
Further, Pradip Humagain has already been appointed the national team’s interim coach and he has already begun training.
ANFA spokesperson Suresh Shah says the football-governing body is keen to finalise the issue as soon as possible. “The procedure is underway,” he tells Onlinekhabar, “It might take one month at most.”
A probe committee has already told the football-governing body to find alternatives to the controversy king after 10 players accused him of misbehaviour and left the camp.
Abdullah Al Mutairi was sent by Qatar for Nepal’s football development under a memorandum of understanding signed between the two countries. Hence, Nepal cannot independently terminate the contract signed with him.
Meanwhile, ANFA President Pankaj Bikram Nembang had a meeting with the QFA President Hamad Bin Khalifa Bin Ahmad Al Thani in Doha on Saturday. During the meeting, he asked Al Thani to help ANFA conclude the controversy soon, informs a source privy to the meeting.
