With Maldives defeating India in the final of the South Asian Cup last week, Goal.com Asia talked to fans of the two finalists, as well as the worst team Pakistan, to find out what they thought about their team, their rivals and the competition as a whole.
Were you satisfied with your team’s performance?
Pakistan - Absolutely not. I dont really know where to start. From strange team selections of players who do not even deserve to be part of the team -let alone having the right to call themselves a football player - at all (Kashif Siddiqui) to strange substitutions (subbing off Atif Bashir in 1st half in all three games) and playing long-ball that helped the opposition more than the team by giving away cheap possession and our short strikers being easily outjumped and outplayed by other sides with our defenders proving they are shambolic - okay maybe Zesh Rehman's freak illness absence meant we we had the disadvantage but these losses just proved how poor we are at the back and yet the coach still plays a defensive game.
India - Not really. The team didn't play to it's full potential and I must say that it was shocking to lose against Maldives in the finals. The injuries had a major role to play in this tournament for our side.
Maldives -Yeah I am fully satisfied with the team's performance and I've never seen such a tournament that Maldives participated. Its simply amazing.
What was the high point?
Pakistan - The firing of Akhtar Mohiuddin. We wanted his head after losing 7-1 to Sri Lanka in AFC Challenge Cup qualifiers in April 2008 - a team supposed to be 'weaker' than Pakistan as per claims by people in the PFF and the need of a foreign coach became unavoidable with Pakistan proving how mediocre local coaches are who have no clue about the game. So yes, his dismissal was our high point, along with Adnan Ahmed scoring against India after working his socks off in these defeats.
India - Beating Nepal 4-1 but I would rate defeating arch rivals Pakistan as the best moment.
Maldives - I don't know what to say.. every match every minute is a high point.
What was the low point?
Pakistan - Losing all three games without even a whimper, that was signified by the exhausted, tired, and depressed face of Adnan Ahmed when he was rather mercifully subbed off in the final game of the group against Nepal.
India -Being taken to extra time and almost to penalties in the semis against Bhutan. Though our skipper Bhaichung Bhutia mentioned being impressed with the Bhutan win, it must be noted that Bhutan stretching us to that length is the lowest point.
Maldives - I don't see any low points from our team through out the tournament.
Who was your best player? Worst player?
Pakistan - Best player throughout the games was Adnan Ahmed from English League One side Tranmere Rovers. He did everything he could on the pitch. Showed good skill, passed the ball, went forward, tried protecting the defence, and basically ran to the point of complete exhaustion by the time he was subbed off against Nepal after playing three games in five days. Okay, maybe Farooq Shah was like a pitbull on the pitch when he was subbed in and became a crowd favourite in Maldives because of really short height and immense work rate, but he was still second best to the lion's effort Adnan Ahmed put in.
Worst player is difficult as they are too many. The central defenders were diabolical without Zesh telling them what they are supposed to do, the inclusion of Zahid Hameed as captain was strange because he had missed most of the previous Pakistan team matches as well as Pakistan Premier League season for WAPDA. I feel his inclusion and captaincy was a poor decision and he was like a lost pigeon on the field when he played. But THE worst player was without a doubt Kashif Siddiqui. His inclusion in the squad having failed miserably for the Pakistan U21 team in Olympic qualifiers where he couldnt even last the first half was a decision that makes me think that certain that he has no talent, and he has no right to be ever selected in team again.
India -The best player was Gouramangi Singh. His last ditch saves and two goals are enough for him to qualify as the best ahead of the other contender N.P.Pradeep. I wouldn't want to comment on the worst player.
Maldives- Well no doubt about this.. Ali Ashfaaq was the best player in this tournament. I don't see a worst player as they played at their level best.
Has your opinion of your coach changed?
Pakistan - I always knew that Akhtar had lost it as a coach, and was actually wanting him dismissed long before the SAFF Cup - winning it may have saved his job to our disappointment, but actually Pakistan's exit just made it happen. He was lucky to get a 0-0 draw with a third string, casual Iraq team in the World Cup qualifiers first round in Syria - hey if my team won 7-0, I may as well send the entire first team on holiday and play with the reserves in the next leg just to get them an international cap. He is a good person, loves football, but doesn't have the mindset nor the expertise to make the national team reach its objectives.
India -Not at all. He is one of the best in the business and one loss won't change our faith in him. The other day a former coach Syed Nayeemuddin called for Bob's resignation. It's publicly known how popular he is with the Indian players.
The best player of the other teams?
Pakistan - Well, H.A.Habib of Afghanistan was top scorer with 4 well taken goals so he was Afghanistan's best player. Sad his team fell to Bhutan. Ali Ashfaq and Ibrahim Fazeel were beasts for Maldives in this tournament with their goals, their passing, their movement, and their heart. The heart & soul of Maldives success and the main faces of their team unity. India's usual bunch of Bhutia, Chetri as well as Pradeep had a killer touch in front of goal in the group stages, but I guess they fell into a hole when their goals deserted India and lost in the final.
India -Ali Ashfaaq from Maldives.
Maldives - Sunil Chetri of India.. he played well in this tournament.
Did Maldives deserve to win?
Pakistan - Well after seeing their wild fans and their fast action packed football when they took us to the cleaners in the first game 3-0 in Male, I knew Maldives had what it takes to win the trophy and they did just that. They played with heart, with passion, with skill - the way football is meant to be played - and the word 'deserve' is an understatement to justify Maldives glorious victory this year. They were championship material from the first game down to the final. End of story.
India – No comment
Maldives- Yeah of course they are the best team in the region and even if you look at the individual performance Maldives is the best
Which team was the surprise package?
Pakistan -I never thought Bhutan would suddenly qualify for the semis and put India to the sword and almost reach the final. Their progress in this tournament was the real shock of South Asian football. A true 'rabbit out of the hat' performance by the tiny nation when everyone of us really believed they would be the whipping boys - instead they shocked the world and we became the whipping boys.
India -Who else but Maldives?
Maldives -Bhutan
Which team disappointed most?
Pakistan - Among other teams I thought Bangladesh was a disappointment, but Afghanistan not reaching the semis was a shock. They had qualified for the AFC Challenge Cup final round and were on their way to the semis before they ran into Bhutan who gave them a really rude awakening....but if anything Pakistan's poor performance makes us deserve the wooden spoon to show just how poor we were.
India -Has to be Pakistan.
How was the competition as a whole?
Pakistan- Well the SAFF Championship was brilliant in terms of shock values, results, and goals. It had it all. Thrills, chills, spills, and a lot of noise from Maldives fans. But one thing that I still find the main problem is the way the fixtures were carried out, there were no proper rest days and that meant many teams either lost steam or picked up injury or fatigue. 3Three games in five days is a killer for many players like it or not. They're need to be at least three days of rest between games rather than just one day. Sure it means a longer tournament but you cant get good football with tired teams. Some of the refereeing was poor at times as well. Pakistan should have had a penalty and India should have been penalised for a hand-ball by Bhutia in the build-up to India's second goal in that game against us.
India -Not that interesting as we could see just two or three games live. The final was telecasted a day later. That sums it all up.
Maldives - In my point of view its really amazing and it was the best tournament in the history of SAFF
How was the standard of play?
Pakistan - All teams were brilliant whenever they avoided long ball tactics, which lets face it, are a failure in South Asia since the strikers here are too small and weak to be taken seriously. Otherwise, the pace passing and movement of Maldives took the cake and won the tournament as conquerors.
India -From what I saw it must be improved. Miles to go
Maldives- The standard of play was really good in this tournament. It entertained the supporters as a whole and we love to watch such a tournament. In these days no one remembers about the EURO tournament in Maldives. They are crazy with the first ever gold medal in the history of Maldivian football.
Thanks again to all those who participated - John Duerden, Asia Editor
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