All Nepal Football Association (ANFA)'s Technical Director Hari Khadka has spoken candidly about the recent issues surrounding the national team setup and women's team’s campaign in the AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers.
In a revealing statement at ANFA complex, Khadka said that Coach Wilde had asked for several things ahead of the qualifiers, including technical and support staff resources, many of which the football governing body was unable to fulfill in time.
“Coach Patrick (Wilde) demanded several things for the qualifiers — including GPS trackers for players, a physical trainer, and a technical analyst,” Khadka said. “We don’t have a GPS tracker system, we do have a dietician, but we lack a physical trainer and technical analyst. We couldn't arrange all these things in a short span. However, we are working to fulfill these requirements in due course because these are necessary for any professional setup.”
Khadka also confirmed that Coach Wilde was on a one-year contract, and had been contacted after the tournament but had not responded. “As a professional coach, I didn’t expect him to speak out publicly without sitting down with us. We could have resolved the issues together,” he added, expressing disappointment.
Khadka criticized some of Wilde’s public statements, particularly regarding a phone call from the Prime Minister and preparation for penalty kicks.
“Talking about the PM’s call and its impact, and about not being ready for penalties — these are not things a professional coach should bring up. It is his responsibility to prepare the team, especially for penalties. Yes, there are shortcomings on our part too, and we are working to correct them. But if he wanted to resign, he could have come to Kathmandu and addressed it in a press meet,” Khadka added.
Addressing the issue of captaincy, Khadka stated that while the head coach has the authority to appoint the team captain, it must be done in coordination with the FA.
He also acknowledged that Wilde was working on a low wage, and said the coach had expressed a willingness to continue working with ANFA despite the challenges.
“Wilde wanted to work with us. He was on a low salary, and we appreciated his efforts. But there must be communication and professionalism from both sides,” Khadka concluded.
ANFA is now expected to review its internal structure and staffing to better support the national team in future campaigns.
