A look back at the chaotic, tempestuous era of Petar Segrt

When the Croatian-born German Petar Segrt was appointed as the Head Coach of the Maldives national football team, supporters were initially wary. They had good reason too. The previous short-lived reigns of Ricki Herbert and the late Darren Stewart started promisingly before petering out with a whimper, resulting in premature termination of their contracts. Segrt … Continue reading A look back at the chaotic, tempestuous era of Petar Segrt →

Matchdays 3, 4, and 5: A review

As the Maldivian team signed off with a victory at home against Guam, we have come to the realization that we are past the halfway mark of the qualification campaign for the joint 2022 FIFA World Cup/2023 AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers. Let's analyze the matches in detail. Matchday 3: Syria 2-1 Maldives The Maldivian team … Continue reading Matchdays 3, 4, and 5: A review →

Matchdays 1 and 2 review

The first two matchdays of the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers have been concluded, and we saw a few shock results. Group D, widely considered to be the Group of Death, saw Palestine beat Uzbekistan before getting beaten at Singapore themselves, and Yemen holding Saudi Arabia to a 2-2 draw. Mongolia, who are making their … Continue reading Matchdays 1 and 2 review →

Why recalling Ashfaq was the right decision

The day was the 13th of November 2017. The Maldivian players trudged off the synthetic surface at Al-Ram after a humiliating 8-1 defeat against Palestine, a result that killed off any miraculous chance they had of qualifying for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup. Consequently, it was also the last time that the late Darren Stewart … Continue reading Why recalling Ashfaq was the right decision →

What are the deficiencies of the typical Maldivian footballer?

After a 14-0 drubbing against hosts Tajikistan in the 2018 AFC U-16 Championship qualifiers, the then-Head Coach of the Maldives U-16 team, Mohamed Shazly, was brought to the post-match interview. Poor Shazly looked shell shocked just like his young players, and he stood before the Tajik interviewer and translator akin to a naughty schoolboy who … Continue reading What are the deficiencies of the typical Maldivian footballer? →

How do we reignite the passion?

Growing up in the 90s, the footballing scene of Maldives was very different. For one thing, the passion for the domestic game was simply incomparable to that of today. The Galolhu Dhandu was always jam-packed, and matches contested between the traditional giants New Radiant, Victory SC and Club Valencia were not only guaranteed sellouts, but … Continue reading How do we reignite the passion? →

In defense of the U-15 national team

There was much excitement and anticipation ahead of the recently-concluded UEFA ASSIST U-15 Tournament held in Addu City. For the first time in history, the Hithadhoo Stadium hosted a Maldivian national team at any level, with a refreshingly well-organized tournament involving the under-15 sides of Maldives, Bhutan, Latvia, and the Saudi Arabian U-14s. What should … Continue reading In defense of the U-15 national team →

Poor preparation: Needs urgent addressing

The 2019 Indian Ocean Island Games has given its share of memorable moments for Maldivian fans. Inspired performances and an unprecedented medal haul from disciplines such as table tennis, badminton and beach volleyball have brought back a much needed feelgood factor to local sports, where many associations seem to be perpetually stuck in a loop … Continue reading Poor preparation: Needs urgent addressing →

2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifying: Know your opponents

After months of anticipation, the Round 2 draw for the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar has finally been conducted, and Maldives has been thrown into an interesting group. Source: Fahuminet Facebook page We will attempt to analyze the teams individually, discuss past meetings if applicable, and try to gauge their strengths and weaknesses. China PR … Continue reading 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifying: Know your opponents →

Maldives at the Indian Ocean Island Games

The Indian Ocean Island Games is a multi-sport event held every four years, with the participants being Seychelles, Comoros, Mauritius, Madagascar, Maldives, and French territories of Reunion and Mayotte. With the games to kick off this month in Mauritius, it seems appropriate to shed some light on it in this post. The games have been … Continue reading Maldives at the Indian Ocean Island Games →