New Radiant

Infobox Football club
clubname = New Radiant


fullname = New Radiant Sports Club
nickname =
founded = 1979
ground = Rasmee Dhandu Stadium
Malé, Maldives
capacity = 13,000
manager = flagicon|Germany Gerd Zeise
league = Dhivehi League
season = 2008
position =
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New Radiant Sports Club is a Maldivian football club based in Malé, Maldives. The club was founded in 19 Ausust, 1979 [ [http://www.maldivesoccer.com/v3/clubs/new%20radiant/ ::maldivesoccer.com: club profile :: ] ] and is one of the most popular football team among the Maldivians. The club is the most successful football club in Maldives, in terms of trophies they have won and is the most successful Maldivian team in international arena. They were the semi finalist on AFC Cup 2005,Inside the country they have won dhivehi league six times,FA cup 10 times out of 20 and have won the cup winners cup several times. The club has had the highest average attendance in Maldivian football. The chairman of the club is Ali Azim.

History

1997

New Radient won all the competitions that were held in 1997,without any real challenge from any other clubs. It was the most dominant year of the club.

1998

The club won FA cup three times in a row and became first team to do so in Maldivian footballing history.

2004

The first three years of 2000's were the years for financially strong velencia and ambitious victory sports club ,but on 2004 New Radiant claimed the FA cup and became the first team ever to be qualified for Asian cup from the Republic.

2005

There was a brand new New Radiant in 2005. A good coach ,great and strong defence line .An enthusiastic and a hard working squad.skilled defenders,the most telented and hard working superstar forwards in Maldives.The formula proved New Radiant to be one of the greatest footballing powers in the region.The club reached the semi finals AFC Cup and were beaten in semi finals by champions al faisli of jordon

2006

2006 was a successful season for New Radiant. The team won Maldivian FA cup and most of all Dhivehi league. The club had high hopes for the finals of Asian cup, but the club won few games on the group stages and were forced to leave the tournament. The club had the strongest squad compared to other teams,including two of the maldivian top strikers Ali Ashfaag and Ali Umar. The Maldivian all rounder Fazeel was also on the team.

2007

The year 2007 was not a successful year for New Radiant. The blues were able to clinch 2 titles,both the FA Cup and the Presidents Cup. The club played in the final of cup winners cup and were beaten severely by velencia. Dhivehi league was dominated by New Radiant on the first stages,after poor results against smaller clubs like Maziya and Vyansa, Victory took the lead, but the winner was decided on the last match which the blues lost against the red devils.The moves by Fazeel and Ali umar to VB sports left a team with a small international experience. The club suffered it worst losses in AFC Cup cup by not winning a single game.

2008

The first tournament of the season cup winners cup was won by New Radiant.

Performance in AFC Competitions

* AFC Champions League: 1 appearance::2002-03: Qualifying East - 2nd Round
* Asian Club Championship: 3 appearances::1992: Qualifying - 2nd round::1997: Group Stage::2002: First Round
*AFC Cup: 4 appearances::2005: Semi-Final::2006: Group Stage::2007: Group Stage::2008: Group Stage
*AFC Cup Winners Cup: 4 appearances::1993/94: Quarter-Final::1995/96: Quarter-Final::1997/98: First Round::1998/99: Second Round::1999/00: First Round

Coach

Gerd Zeise, who has been working with a Vietnam club before joining New Radiant, concentrates a lot on players' physical fitness.

Gerd Zeise reveals that he is happy with the current squad in hand and brushes aside the rumour that New Radiant lacks midfielders.

Current Squad

Honours

*Maldives National Championship:: 7
** 1987, 1990, 1991, 1995, 1997, 2004, 2007
*Dhivehi League:: 2
** 2000, 2006
*Maldives FA Cup: 10:: 1989, 1991, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007 ( They won Maldives FA Cup six times in a row)
*Maldives Cup Winners' Cup: 4:: 1999, 2000, 2003, 2008
*POMIS Cup: 3:: 1994, 1995, 1997
*"'AFC cup:::semi finalist (2004)
*"'Asian cup winners cup:::quter finalist in 1995 and 1996

Represented Maldives in the Football event of SAF Games in 1987

External links

* [http://www.newradiant.com.mv www.newradiant.com.mv]
* [http://www.newradiant.maldivesoccer.com/ New Radiant on www.maldivesoccer.com]
* [http://www.the-afc.com/english/national/default_club.asp?nationalID=64&clubID=65 New Radiant page on www.the-afc.com]
* [http://sarrc.wordpress.com/ Assia Soccer Blog]
* [http://sarrc.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post.php?action=edit&post=33 New Radiant on Assia Soccer Blog]

Footnotes