National Team Vision: Maldives Approach Differs from Regional Countries, Says Coach Urbany

With the SAFF Championship, the biggest regional tournament, approaching, Maldives national football team head coach Istvan Urbany has highlighted the differing approaches between the Maldives and other countries in the region regarding team development. In a special interview with PSM’s program 'Foori', Urbany noted that many countries in the region, such as Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Bhutan, have made significant progress and are securing players from abroad. However, he said the Maldives has a different vision. 'Our thinking is different. Our idea is to strengthen the domestic league and bring supporters back into the game. The national team will get strong again only when the fans come to the league matches too,' he said. Urbany, who previously coached the Maldives and is familiar with Maldivian football, has won only one match since taking charge of the national team this time – a victory against Timor-Leste in March. He has also guided the U-20 team and has lost six out of a total of 10 matches. The Maldives will begin its SAFF Championship campaign against Pakistan on November 8 at 2:30 PM local time, followed by a match against India on November 11 at the same time. The group also includes India. Urbany said he returned to the Maldives to build a new national team and a new generation, focusing on young players. He acknowledged the challenge of a limited player pool, noting that players aged 23 or 24 are scarce because they missed opportunities during the hiatus in Maldivian football. He also stated that veteran striker Ali Ashfaq will not be in the squad this time. The team left for a training camp in Indonesia yesterday, where they will play two matches, though some players could not travel due to injuries.