Brunei start year at 188th in FIFA rankings

Fadhil Yunus

The nationwide soccer group remained in 188th place within the males’s world rankings following the primary instalment of the yr launched by soccer world’s governing physique FIFA.

The Wasps sit one spot behind regional rivals Laos and are considered superior when it comes to rating than Sao Tome and Principe, American Samoa and Liechtenstein within the 210-member desk.

The nationwide group, which is an affiliated member beneath the Asean Soccer Federation (AFF), have Bangladesh, Bhutan and Mongolia on their radar to climb up the rankings.

In the meantime primarily based on continental rankings allotted for member associations affiliated beneath the Asian Soccer Confederation (AFC) solely, Brunei stay forty second out of 46 entries forward of Timor Leste, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Guam.

Brunei have been largely absent from the worldwide scene for the reason that begin of the COVID-19 pandemic and just lately pulled out of the AFF Suzuki Cup amid the second wave of infections.

The nationwide group are additionally within the search of a brand new head coach after Datuk Ok Rajagobal and Soccer Affiliation of Brunei Darussalam (FABD) agreed to half methods by mutual consent on the finish of final month.

The Malaysian’s premature departure prompted the necessity to fill the emptiness of a everlasting nationwide head coach for the fourth time in three years.

Former Singapore Beneath-19 head coach Robbie Servais was on the helm the final time Brunei made a world look towards Mongolia through the first spherical of World Cup qualifying in June 2019.

With Servais staying as head coach for a six-week time period, Paul Smalley, who additionally served as the pinnacle of participant and coach growth, succeeded the Dutchman in November that yr.

Nonetheless, his spell within the Sultanate ended after simply seven months in related circumstances as his successor amid the obvious challenges posed by the virus.

Each Datuk Ok Rajagobal and Paul Smalley left with out taking cost of the aspect in an official worldwide match, although the previous led the groups out in two unofficial pleasant ties final yr.

The nationwide group had underlined their intent of qualifying to the group stage of the AFF Suzuki Cup since their sole look in 1996 following the appointment of Datuk Ok Rajagobal.

However, the nation’s curiosity within the worldwide scene has been revived following the participation of the under-23 group within the AFF Beneath-23 Championship tomorrow.