KATHMANDU: The All Nepal Football Players Association (ANFPA) on Monday said the body was formed with the consent of the current and former football players.

"We had invited all the current and former players who were in our contact," said ANFPA President Upendra Man Singh at a press meet on Monday, on the eve of the meet called by another group of players.

"Some players have gone abroad and some are engaged in other profession. But we tried our best to invite all the players in the meet," he added. "We accept that we could not invite all the players but we had no intention of excluding any one," clarified Singh, former national team skipper and goalkeeper.

The ANFPA organised a press meet after some of the players publicly criticised the association and President Singh himself for forming the body without the knowledge of majority of the players. Singh was dragged into controversy for accepting the role of a president in players association and working a as a coach at the same time.

"The national league has been interrupted for the last three years because of the managerial row but we could foresee the football activities ahead," he said. "In this pretext, we would like to call all the players to join us and help in the development of the game," said Singh.

National team skipper and ANFPA General Secretary Rakesh Shrestha and national team midfielder and ANPFA Member Pradeep Maharjan also expressed their views. Vice President Narendra Shrestha, Joint Secretary Nabin Neupane, Treasurer Prakash Baidhya, Members Ujjwol Manandhar, Bikash Malla, Anjan KC among others were also present on the occasion.