By Sabin Pahari

Syria, the Western Asian side failed to qualify for the upcoming World Cup in Russia next summer, but left with a very deterministic message to all the nations participating in the World Cup Qualifiers.

They lost on the final round in the Asian play-off against the Aussies. A nation drowning on the base of civil war has rose from everything and given a tough competition to almost everyone in the Asian region.

Playing all the home game at Malaysia and coming 3rd in a tough group of South Korea and Iran, and playing the play-off against the Aussies in a tough match and coming almost close to the continental play-off was a great achievement for the Syrian team.

The hard work and the spirit the Syrian team has seen over the past two year is just amazing and it proves the football is not just a sport but about uniting the country that has derailed its status over the past one decade.

No facilities from the government, playing all home games away from the home, no salary, no going home between the qualifiers and even without the required infrastructure, and playing for the team and almost reaching the World Cup.

Something here to learn for team Nepal. We have been blessed so far and haven’t been in any sort of civil war and had privilege of being named a peaceful country. But in terms of football we have lacked a lot of things and have never matched the standard set by Syria. We have had enough infrastructure and facilities, good preparation and lot of home cheers to support
the national team, but we have not produced the result that Syria has produced in last 5-6 years.

Nepal has been playing a lot of football in past 4-5 years, and hasn’t been able to achieve what the fans and even the team has been hoping.

Series of bad results and poor performance has left Nepal fall behind in the FIFA rankings too. Nepal needs to learn the proper way of getting up and adopting the football that suits them, be it the Syrian way or even the Panama way, who have
also qualified for the World Cup.

Nepal needs to find what can make the way easier for them, utilize the facilities provided and making the most of them to have a say in the international field of football. Forget World Cup, they must win SAFF Championship to woo Nepalese fans.

The most important thing is, Nepal need to find the exact way to move ahead in football, either changing the coach, being clinical or being solid in defense and hitting on the counter. Whatever the way is, redemption very soon is must, else there will only be words of Nepal playing the football, once upon a time.