Women’s national football team coach Kumar Thapa has been granted scholarship for Uefa Executive Master for International Players (Uefa MIP) course to be conducted by European Football Federation (Uefa). 

The former Nepal international midfielder made the revelation himself on Tuesday claiming that he was the only one to be selected for the course from Asia. Thapa said he receives 27,000 euros for the two-year course from Uefa. In all 25 former international footballers selected globally to undergo the course, claimed Thapa. Thapa need to travel to seven countries during the two-year course scheduled for November 13, 2017 to November 14, 2018.   

According to Uefa website, the course was designed for former international players to make them capable at administration and management of football.  “The Uefa MIP takes the abilities of elite players and moulds them into those of successful managers,” says Uefa in their website.  

Capped 34 times during 1997-2005, Thapa will undergo the course at the University of Limoges in France and Birbeck University of London. He will also have to travel to Switzerland, France, England, Spain, Netherlands, Germany and America as part of study in two years.

“Its really great to be selected as the only player from Asia,” said the 42-year old inspector of Nepal Armed Police Force. “To get any such opportunity at Asian Football Confederation (AFC) course itself would have been great. So getting a chance to study at even greater a platform is marvellous.”

Thapa, however, said that he still requires around Rs 3.5 million more to complete the course. “The scholarship amount will cover my tuition fees, but I need more money to cover my travel and accommodation costs for two years,” said Thapa. Thapa claimed he will study alongside the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000 winner Frenchman Youri Djorkaeff, 2002 World Cup winner Brazilian Gilberto Silva, former Barcelona and Spain player Gaizka Mendieta among others.

Thapa has already sought for financial support from All Nepal Football Association (Anfa). “I think my knowledge upon completion of the course will be beneficial to Nepali football,” Thapa said adding that he was also pondering to seek support from National Sports Council and Youth and Sports ministry. The former captain of Manang Marshyangdi Club (MMC), Thapa is one among the handful of players to play top level domestic football for more than two decades.  After making entry into top-tier domestic football in 1992 from MMC, the footballer ended his playing 21-year career in 2013. He captained MMC from 1999 to 2005 before joining the departmental team APF.