Ali Thameem
Odi Sports Club aims to finish the upcoming Dhivehi Premier League as either champions or as runner-ups, says midfielder Hussain Nihaan.
The newly promoted side is starting the season with a very strong squad – one that could help reach the club’s target of finishing the season with silverware, said Nihaan, speaking to PSM sports during one of the training sessions.
Nihaan admitted that having to continuously pause the training sessions has affected that team’s cohesion, and that the physical fitness of some players have stooped. After the season’s kickoff date had been pushed multiple times, the newly elected administration at the Football Association of Maldives had set 18th September as the start of the Dhivehi Premier League.
Nihaan is poised to play an important role in the club’s debut season, likely to be at the helm of ‘the ship’ that is Odi Sports. The national team vice-captain himself is relatively new to the club, having transferred from Maziya Sports and Recreation last year.
The club is nonetheless looking stronger than ever. Odi Sports Club were runner-ups of the FAM League Cup played in May. They defeated New Radiant in the final minutes of the semifinal, but lost to Maziya in the final.
Odi SC has also hired a new foreign coach, Andreas Garcia. A press conference with the Spaniard is scheduled for tonight.
