Lalitpur, November 13

National football team head coach Gyotoku Koji said he did not call up Jagjeet Shrestha for the AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers match against the Philippines.

Koji said it was the All Nepal Football Association’s decision to include Shrestha in squad. “I do not want to talk about Shrestha. If you want to know about it, you should ask ANFA,” said Koji when inquired about the midfielder’s inclusion in the national team.

Shrestha, who plays for Nuna Wading City FC in Australia, was not called up for national duty since he featured in the friendly match against Laos in May last year. He was drafted in the preliminary squad this time around and joined the camp on November 5.

Skipper Anil Gurung and goalkeeper Bishal Shrestha also made their comeback in the national fold. Gurung last played in a 0-0 draw against Yemen at the Nepal APF Club grounds in June, while goalkeeper Shrestha was last included in the squad during Nepal’s home match against Tajikistan in September. Similarly, midfielder Shrestha was in the squad for Nepal’s friendly match against Laos in May last year.

Defenders Devendra Tamang and Aditya Chaudhary were not available due to injuries, while the 23-member squad includes goalkeepers Kiran Kumar Limbu and Bikesh Kuthu, defenders Biraj Maharjan, Rohit Chand, Ananta Tamang, Kamal Shrestha, Jitendra Karki, Rajendra Rawal and Dinesh Rajbanshi. Similarly, Sujal Shrestha, Bishal Rai, Bikram Lama, Anjan Bista, Heman Gurung, Hemant Thapa Magar and Sunil Bal are the midfielders, while Bharat Khawas, Bimal Gharti Magar, Nawayug Shrestha and George Prince Karki are forwards.