Maldieves Selected 20 member squad for SAFF championship 2011

Maldives National football coach, Istvan Urbanyi has finalized the final 20 players for the upcoming SAFF Championship to be held in Delhi from December 2-11 this year. Sobah Mohamed, Ibrahim Shiyam (John) and Ahmed Rasheed (Ammadey) have been omitted from the 23 player squad preparing for the tournament.

Speaking at the press briefing, Coach Istavan Urbanyi also noted that it was a difficult decision to omit the players.

“It was a very difficult decision to omit the players. But then we have to take 20 players to the tournament”

“The decision was based on the performance of the players in the league, practices and in the friendly matches. It was also based on the flexibility of the players to be used”

Maldives was preparing for the tournament with a squad of 26 players. After the tour to Malaysia, the national team was further reduced to 23. Mohammed Rasheed, Mukhthaar Naseer and Mohammed Thasneem were omitted from the squad then. 

Hassan Nizar (Bodey) who was the national team’s kit manager for the last 16 years was also omitted from the squad and in place, Sattar has been given the chance. 

The final 20 players and the officials are:

Imran Mohamed 
Mohamed Faisal
Ahmed Athif
Mohamed Shifan
Assad Abdul GHani
Mohamed Umair
Mohamed Jameel
Shafiu Ahmed
Ismail Mohamed
Shamveel Ghasim
Akram Abdul Ghani
Mohamed Arif
Hassan Adhuham
Ali Fasir
Ibrahim Fazeel
Ali Ashfaaq
Ali Ashadh
Ahmed Thoriq
Mohammed Hussain Niyaz
Ismail Faruhadh

Officials:
Ali Waheed (Manager),
Istvan Bel Urbanyi (Coach)
Moosa Manik (Asst. Coach)
Ismail Mahfooz (Asst. Coach)
Aslam Abdul Raheem (GK coach)
Ahmed Shakeeb (Sports Physician)
Abdul Sattar Ahmed (Kit manager)
Mohammed Jaushan Shareef (Media)