Why we believe Dhagandey should be in the team

As the football community awaits the announcement of the National squad for the SAFF games, we all have our own ideas for the National team. Like most National teams, the head coach Petar Segrt decides the squad. The Football Association insists it is all his decision.

Maldives awaits the announcement of the squad, some of us are concerned that our Legend Ali Ashfaq might not be included in the squad.

While for those who only watch the National team game highlights and read about the players through the media might be happy with it, people who watch the league games still see Dhagandey as the most prolific goal scorer around. At the moment TC Sport’s new signing is the top scorer of the Dhiraagu Dhivehi league. He finished the Male’ League earlier this year as the top scorer ahead of other prolific National players such as Ali Fasir (Sentey).

Dhagandey ended last year’s Premier League as the top scorer helping New Radiant to the title on both occasions.

After returning from Malaysia, an injured Dhagandey helped Maziya to the Premier League title. Statistics show that he league went to club Dhagandey played for since his return from PDRM, Malaysia. Where he excelled.

He is still the most expensive footballer in the Maldives, the above paragraph tells us why. On and off the field Dhagandey is Maldives’ legend.

Among the active current top scorers in the world, Dhagandey is in 7^th place with 52 goals with only Neymar, Chethri, Villa, Messi and Ronaldo above him. With the legend so close to retirement and his goal scoring instinct intact, will Petar Segrt help the legend over take some of these world legends?

The only reason he might not be included would be coach’s plans that might not need a player who he needs to be given the ball according to some analysts. But is that a reason for not including the nation’s top scorer? If so no team has one tactic through-out. What if we have ten minutes to go and push all the way up with nothing to lose, wouldn’t we wish we have Dhagandey then?

It is like saying the New Argentina top brass is dropping Messi because he is not the best header of the ball or saying that Ronaldo doesn’t defend like he used to. These Legends has aged gracefully in the game and are still as deadly as ever. Dhagandey is the same, he might not chase the ball for 120 minutes now. But why isn’t anyone talking about how he has started to score with headers now, which he didn’t use to before. He used to beat whole defenses opening the game, today he does that with audacious passes that strip defenses open. Still most teams close him down more than any other player in the league.

Dhagandey to Maldives is like Messi is to Argentina or Ronaldo is to Portugal. A year ago we saw how the National team ticket sales dropped when people were told that their beloved Dhagandey wasn’t playing. At a time Maldives was divided this man united us with this goals and it will be a shame if his last chance to shine in the SAFF Championship is stripped away.

Coaches and managers come and go, but Dhagandey is the symbol of Maldivian football.