|
Mahabir
is back
“History does repeat in Sports”
By: Dinesh Thapa
football_nepal@yahoo.com
Mahabir Club winners of 1st Martyrs Memorial League in
Nepal is finally back to the top flight football after
27 years.
Martyrs Memorial League was started in 2011 BS and Mahabir
Club was the winner of the first Martyrs Memorial League
in Nepal. After that Mahabir had won the Martyrs
Memorial League two times in 2023 BS and 2026 BS and it
was relegated to “B” division in 2033 BS and after
27 years of struggling in “B” division, Mahabir Club
had returned to the top Division as the runners up of
the “B” division Martyrs Memorial League.
Nar Samsher JBR used to play for India’s Mohamadan
Sporting Club in 2007 BS. It was his idea to develop
league football in Nepal for the development of Nepalese
football. But Nepal Football Association was already
formed in 2004 BS and he was one of the active members.
It was in 2011 that the first league started in Nepal.
When Mahabir club won the Martyrs Memorial League in Nepal,
Nar Samsher JBR was the player of Mahabir. The living
history of Nepalese football, 82 years old Amrit Man
Shrestha, on talk with Dinesh Thapa (Nepalsport
coordinator and freelance sports journo) remembers, “I
was captain of Mahabir Club which won the first Martyrs
Memorial League. We were unbeaten in league. The league
was played in front of “Billiard home” on the north
of Singha Durbar. Late King Tribhuvan and King Mahendra
used to see the football match from the “Billiard
home” and they experience witching the Martyrs
Memorial League in 2011 BS. I was best player of king
Tribhuvan. After Mahabir won the league in 2011, the
whole Dillibazar went wild and they celebrated. I even
hung up the 1st Martyrs Memorial League trophy in my
balcony.”
While Mahabir played in Martyrs Memorial League, whole
Dillibazar used to go to Singha Durbar to see them play.
They talk about the performances of players and even
bet. Amrit Man labels the quality of the Mahabir Club
which won the League in 2011 as “capable to play world
cup”. Why Mahabir were out of the top flight football
for 27 years, nobody knows. But present president of
Mahabir Club says, “I don’t know why Mahabir are out
for 27 years but we are BACK and we will give tough
competition to other “A” division clubs”. And they
certainly are one of the teams to beat in Martyrs
Memorial League 2061.
Last year in 2060 BS 8 teams fought hard in “B”
division. The league had different excitement as 2 teams
will qualify for the “A” division. The start of
Mahabir was not as good as it draw its first match with
Sano Gaucharan Club. After winning two matches in row it
again lost to Friends Club. It looked like that Mahabir
won’t make it to “A” division that year also. But
they were waiting for the right time to strike as it
defeated “B” division League leaders Brigade Boys
Club 4 – 1. They perform well under pressure against
BBC on that do or die match. The quality of A and B
division clubs are not so different in Nepal. As Amrit
Man says “I hope that Mahabir will perform better in
“A” division also and hope that whole Dillibazar
will be at Dasarath Rangasala to witness the history.”
Finally they are back in Martyrs Memorial “A” division
league and just like President of Mahabir Club and the
living legend of Nepalese football Amrit Man Shrestha, I
can imagine that Mahabir will be the tough competitor in
“A” division Martyrs Memorial League and hope that
whole Dillibazar will be at Dasarath Rangasala and
Mahabir will repeat the history again. Just like I
predicted Mahabir are giving tough time for some big
clubs of Nepal in current ongoing Martyrs Memorial
League 2061 and Mahabir are certainly a team to beat.
I wish the wish of living legend of Nepalese football Mr.
Amrit Man Shrestha will come true because history does
repeat in sports.
By: Dinesh Thapa
football_nepal@yahoo.com l@yahoo.com
|
