“I Came for the Players, Not the Politics”: Coach Patrick De Wilde Opens Up After Nepal’s AFC Women’s Asian Cup Exit

Despite Nepal’s proud performance in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2025 Qualifiers, the Belgian coach with a UEFA Pro License is not sugarcoating things. In a candid conversation from Tashkent with Kantipur, he aired concerns that stretch far beyond the pitch—from basic hotel rooms to the absence of ice.

“I came here for the players,” he says. “Not for this chaos.”

The Magic and the Mess

For De Wilde, this tournament was “magical”—but not because of fancy facilities or smooth logistics. There were none. No GPS trackers, no training cameras, no analysis tools. And yet, Nepal’s women rose beyond expectations, scoring 20 goals across three matches and pushing the world no. 51 team to the edge.

But what if they had support? “If our players had even basic backing, we could’ve gone further,” he says. “Right now, ANFA seems more interested in politics than football.”

When the System Fails the Dream

Players stayed in hostel-like hotels with poor food. The coach himself wasn’t even housed with the team. “I asked for a four-star hotel for everyone. They offered three. Why separate the coach from the team?” he asks.

Even basic recovery tools like ice were missing. “Sometimes, we didn’t even have ice in the hotel. Is that too much to ask?”

During a high-pressure game, a video call was arranged with the Prime Minister at 11 AM. Some players were too nervous to even step up for penalties. “Was that for the players’ benefit? Or someone else’s?” De Wilde questions. “Why didn’t anyone congratulate us when we won the first match? Why wait until we lose?”

“I’m Not the Coffee-Sipping Type”

“I’m not that coach who just sips coffee and shouts instructions,” he says. “I’m hands-on. I work with the players. That’s why I came.”

But his efforts were hampered. ANFA didn’t provide even basic training kits. Technical support was lacking. Assistants couldn’t use computers or interpret data. “I’d have hired my own staff if I could.”

Despite that, the bond with the players was real. “The way the girls embraced me… I’ve never seen anything like it. Not even with men’s teams I’ve coached.”

He highlights the incredible effort of players like Preeti Rai, just 5 feet tall, who rose to challenge much taller opponents. “We adapted, played with three defenders, pushed hard, and it worked. That’s the beauty of coaching.”

Will He Return?

Only if it’s for the right reasons.

“I’m not here to make money. If I can’t help the players, I won’t waste anyone’s time,” he says. “But if I come back, it will be to make real, serious change in women’s football.”

He hasn’t decided whether to contact ANFA again. “If they call, I’ll respond. But I won’t reach out first. My loyalty is to the players.”

Nepal didn’t really lose to Uzbekistan—they lost in penalties. And even then, they showed heart, fight, and flair. “We didn’t collapse—we came back,” he says.

But behind the scenes, mismanagement overshadowed passion. De Wilde’s message is clear: if Nepal wants progress, the system must stop pulling players down and start lifting them up.

And if not? “Then don’t expect me to return.”