Victory Sports Club, once a powerhouse in Maldives' football scene, has never prepared for a season in advance as much as the team has this year, the club's Secretary General Moosa Rameez has said.
Victory Sports Club, once a powerhouse in Maldives' football scene, has never prepared for a season in advance as much as the team has this year, the club's Secretary General Moosa Rameez has said.
Since the team lost its football 'crown' in 2013, Victory's preparations and squad had been seen as average. Managements had high turn over rates and internal conflicts over delayed salaries for employees also became an issue. The club, which was relegated to the second division after being suspended over such matters, played in last year's second division final and qualified for the first division.
This time, the club has bigger plans. With a coach and players selected, Victory began its pre season trainings well in advance.
"I don't think Victory had ever started the season so cleanly in the last 10 years," Rameez said.
Victory re-hired former coach Mohamed Athif and started the new season's training with almost all local players and a Sri Lankan goalkeeper.
According to Rameez, the club, which spent heavily on the second division, has no pending salaries for any of its players.
At a time when many local football clubs are struggling financially, Victory's targets for this season are tied to both within and outside the football pitch.
Rameez said the management's target is to pay the players fairly and arrange all necessary requirements, while the entire club's target is to finish off the season with a good footing.
"So, let's see... hopefully it will go well," he said.
Rameez, who is also a senior organiser of the country's longest standing football tournament, the Club Maldives Cup, said the current management's target is to take the club back to its former glory.
“The message I want to give to Victory's fans and well-wishers is that this management's biggest target is to take this 50-year-old club back to its former glory,” he assured.
Captain Akram Abdul Ghani, Mohamed Umeir, Hussain Niyaz Mohamed and Hussain Faisal, all who played for the team in the second division, have also signed up for the team once again.
Victory also signed Abdullah Midh-hath Fahmy and Ali Shamis to the team.
Sign In
