Sour grapes
There's trouble afoot at the Ministry of National Defense club, last year's runners-up in the Cambodia Premier football league but surprisingly knocked out of the recent Hun Sen Cup quarter-finals by their rivals from the Navy, Phuchung Neak, on penalties. Sounds like it might be a case of sour grapes by the Ministry hierarchy, who've complained loudly of 'irregularities' by members of their team after the shock defeat, prompting five players to ask to leave the club on the eve of the new Premier League season. Two of the five are the Ministry's top players and national squad pin-up boys, striker Khim Borey and goalkeeper Samreth Seiha. Borey (pictured), who was the Golden Boot winner last season with 18 goals, is rumoured to be on the verge of joining Naga Corp, even though he was on the substitutes bench for the cup match in question. Meanwhile, stopper Seiha and the other three players could be moving across to join Ranger FC, though if the Ministry refuse to let them go, they might end up playing for no-one. To be frank, this is the last thing that Borey and Seiha need right now, as they are currently training with the national squad in preparation for the important AFC Challenge matches in Bangladesh at the end of this month. If someone suggested I was a cheat, I think I'd want to move teams as well.Labels: Cambodia football
posted by Andy Brouwer at
12:19 AM
2 Comments:
Thanks Andy for the news about Cambodia football. I think it is really good if Borey and Seiha join Phnom Penh Crown because they're the best striker and best goalkeeper. they should find a better club for theirself. Thank you
I think its sad that the Defense team is about to implode. I liked the idea that a Cambodians-only team finished 2nd last year, without any outside interference by the influx of Africans to the game. In the teams that do have Africans in their line up, they take the key positions in each side and this stunts the growth of Cambodian players in those same positions. If you have Africans operating in central midfield and as central strikers or centre-halves that means up and coming Khmer players AREN'T gaining valuable experience in those positions.
I know its the same world-over when you allow foreign players into the league structure but its very noticeable how the Africans dominate the teams they are in. This is a facet of the CPL which I sincerely hope will change as the Khmer players gain experience and get physically stronger.
The possibility of the Defense team to break-up after their fine performance last season is very disappointing, especially when they have 2 of the country's best players in their ranks. They had a poor result in the Cup recently but is that any reason to break-up the team? Surely, there must be more to it than 1 bad result.
Andy
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