Coach István Urbányi has a lot of work to be done with the start of today's SAFF U-20 Championship in Maldives. Along with being the team's coach, he will have three additional responsibilities for the foreseeable future.
Urbányi and the youth team will be facing Sri Lanka tonight. However, his thoughts are not solely on tonight's game nor the upcoming games in the championship. Urbányi, along with the senior national team, will be facing Timor-Leste in the final match of the Asian Cup qualifiers on 31st March. He would have to keep his attention on the senior team's match in the middle of the SAFF U-20 Championship.
Urbányi was asked as to whether he can efficiently manage two teams at the time, with the Football Association of Maldives' (FAM) Technical Director stating that managing two teams are not two different jobs. He sees his current work that can bridge the current generation with the future generation.
The main topic that was discussed when FAM President Ahmed Thoriq invited Urbányi to coach Maldives once more was, as Urbányi put it, is determining a direction in relation to the progress of youth players along with a new frame of thinking.
He states that the SAFF U-20 Championship being held in Maldives is a good opportunity. Urbányi said that he will be taking part in the championship in his capacity as a Technical Director. However, getting the opportunity to work as a coach with the youth team will allow him to solve the obstacles that are currently in the way, said Urbányi.
"No matter what happens, I will be working in my official capacity as a Technical Director. However, we (Urbányi and Thoriq) felt that having me work with the youth team will expedite in determining the obstacles being faced, and understanding the players and the environment as well," said Urbányi.
Urbányi is in charge of the senior national team for their match against Timor-Leste. The team has already begun training sessions under his leadership. He chose older players for the senior team.
Maldives is the only team within their group in the Asian Cup who have not gotten a single point. Urbányi said that he is preparing the senior team for the match with those thoughts in mind.
"We are not in a good state right now, we do not have a single point in the group. However, our aim is clear. I would like to end this campaign (the Asian Cup qualifiers with the senior team) with plays that would be seen as encouraging for the future," stated Urbányi.
He went on to say that even though he is working with two teams, they are not two separate jobs. He also said that both teams want to go down the same route.
"The way I see it, this does not mean I am working two jobs. This is me carving a singular path to walk down. I will know how to proceed after I coach the U-20 team. And due to this, I will know what needs to be improved within the team, and how I can foster an even stronger bond with the senior team as well," as per Urbányi.
"Currently, the work I am doing is to connect the current generation with the coming generation, which is more than managing two teams. My desire is to assure that the work I am starting will have positive impacts in Maldivian football for years to come."
Group A of the SAFF U-20 Championship has Bhutan and Nepal along with Maldives and Sri Lanka. Bhutan and Nepal will be facing off against each other today in the first match of the championship.
Group B has defending champions India, Bangladesh and Pakistan.
