Improved Bhutan up for a tough competition, says coach Pema Dorji

The Bhutanese coach talked about his side's preparation for the 14th SAFF Championship.

Making their comeback after a COVID-triggered absence in the 2021 edition, the Bhutanese national team will be looking to compete in a tough setting, coach Pema Dorji told the media on Tuesday.

Bhutan are in Group B alongside Bangladesh, Lebanon, and Maldives in the SAFF Championship, which is set to begin from June 21 in the heart of Bengaluru at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium.

Here's what the Bhutanese tactician had to say about his team's preparation and expectations coming to the tournament in front of the media.

Preparation coming into the tournament

Bhutan have managed to conduct satisfactory preparation coming into the tournament, Pema said in the pre-tournament press conference.

"We kept our training camp in Bhutan for one month. After that, we trained in Kolkata for around six days," he said.

The Dragon Boys arrived in Kolkata a week prior to the tournament to get "acclimatized to the conditions."

He also revealed that the team had contested a couple of friendlies with local clubs in Kolkata prior to landing in Bengaluru.

Thoughts on two invited teams

The Bhutanese coach said this year's tournament will be tough because of the two non-South Asian teams coming into the mix.

"All teams are strong," he said. They've played many matches. This is the second tournament for us after COVID. So I think it's gonna be tough for us."

Bhutan will face Lebanon on June 25, while the other invited side Kuwait are in the other group alongside India, Nepal, and Pakistan.

Lessons from the Three Nations Cup in Nepal

The Bhutanese National Team contested their first tournament after the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic earlier this year in Nepal, racking up their first-ever draw against the hosts.

Pema acknowledged his side's performance in the tournament, adding the opportunity allowed the side to seek improvement.

"We have learned a lot of things from tri-nations, including tactical improvements, and team building," he said. "It didn't go according to our plans. We have corrected a lot of things in attacking and defending."

Bhutan have not won a single match in SAFF Championship so far.