Stimac Spices Up the Drama in Indian Football’s Turbulent Era

Over the past decade or so, Indian football has undergone significant changes. A new league emerged, supplanting its predecessor as the premier football league in India. In the FIFA rankings, India progressed from the obscurity of 170, breaking into double digits to reach 97. A regime spanning 13 years was overthrown amid considerable public upheaval and the appointment of a CoE by the Supreme Court, resulting in a FIFA ban—a distinctive and unusual consequence.

It is into this flux that Stimac entered in 2019. Since then, he has made a name for himself in the Indian football scene with his rather effusive personality. During his stint starting from the 2019 Kings Cup, he has managed to nick some wins against oppositions like Thailand, Hong Kong, Kuwait, Hong Kong, Kyrgyzstan, and Lebanon, and has eked out draws with opposition like Iraq, Syria, and Oman so far. Even though the list doesn’t look very formidable this seems to be a decent set because such was the churn in Indian football during the period he has managed.

However, Igor Stimac has not stayed in the limelight because of all these wins or draws. He has been out there in the mix talking to the press, explosive statements, out there on social media with posts that add twists to the plot, and more. While plots and goals kept changing in the surroundings around him, Stimac seems to have garnered a way to stay relevant in the scheme of things which seemed altogether racier than a spy thriller. 

In the course of this, Stimac has stirred up controversy, especially after criticizing the country’s top football league. In a retaliatory fashion, an article surfaced in a prominent daily, questioning his reliance on astrology to determine line-ups and raising concerns about his integrity in sharing line-up information with individuals outside the system. It’s worth noting that it was previously disclosed that the former regime had hired an astrologer at a considerable cost. I mean, if you are in India and there is so much going on, why not throw in some astrology too? Stimac seemed to have been charmed by Indian astrology as well.

And then there are the statements in the media that at times contradicted, catching the fans off-guard at times and such. The constant chatter about getting into the top 10 of Asia, and the recent controversy about putting more onus on the upcoming World Cup qualifiers than the ongoing Asian Cup have all caused much ire among the fans.

With two defeats in the Asian Cup against Australia and Uzbekistan, Stimac’s position is under the scanner again. In the initial phase of his India stint, Stimac seemed to tinker with the line-up, evoking a sense of struggling to find a formidable eleven. Towards the end of his first term, he appeared to settle on a core set of players, sparking debates about player selections—a perennial topic in Indian football discussions.

Upcoming matches against Syria in the AFC Asian Cup and encounters with Afghanistan, Kuwait, and Qatar in the World Cup Qualifiers will further define Stimac’s tenure. Despite criticisms and the time taken, Stimac’s approach has transitioned Indian football away from a more direct style seen during Stephen Constantine. While the team lacks a certain tenacity that was the hallmark during Constantine’s tenure, it has to be noted that the current style is more palatable.

Criticism directed at Stimac often revolves around his statements rather than the team’s on-field performance, which appears unjust. He should continue leading the team at least until the conclusion of this round of World Cup qualifiers. The challenges faced at the Asian Cup aren’t solely his responsibility; instead, they unveil systemic and fundamental issues hindering Indian football’s performance at the elite level in Asia.

Throughout his tenure, Stimac has maintained a candid persona. Despite initial reservations, my appreciation for him grew when he started expressing himself in the media. Navigating the intricate landscape of Indian football with a bold and unapologetic approach, his stint has been undeniably captivating. In times when on-field joy might be scarce, enjoying the sideshow becomes crucial. Stimac has proven to be the perfect foil for the turbulent times in Indian football. Hail Stimac!

AFC Proposes New Dates for the Postponed World Cup Qualifiers

AFC, India, Football, Qatar, Afghanistan

Asian Football Confederation has proposed new dates for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and AFC Asian Cup China 2023 Asian Qualifiers that were supposed to take place in March and June 2020.

AFC was forced to postpone the qualifiers due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic across the world. Now that the world is limping back to normalcy, AFC has released the new dates for the qualifiers. 

Matchdays 7 and 8 that were postponed will now take place on October 8 and 13 and Matchdays 9 and 10 will take place on November 12 and 17, 2020. 

According to the latest schedule released by the AFC, the following are the match dates for India. 

  • 08 – October 2020 – India vs Qatar 
  • 12 – November 2020 – Bangladesh vs India
  • 17 – November 2020 – India vs Afghanistan

India’s last world cup qualifier was played on 19 November 2019 against Oman in a away tie which they lost by 1-0. The home tie against Qatar which was supposed to take place on 26 – March -2020 was scheduled at the Kalinga stadium in Bhubaneswar. Now, with the rescheduled dates, we will have to wait for the All India Football Federation to announce the new venue. 

The Asian Football Confederation press note regarding the proposed new dates have also mentioned that the AFC will continue to monitor COVID-19 situation in its respective member countries and will notify the member associations if there is a need to reassess the match schedules due to the ever-present COVID-19 threat. They have also mentioned that they have come out and announced these dates with a view to complete the Preliminary Joint Qualification Round 2 by November 2020. 

With COVID-19 posing a considerable threat in India even today, it will have to be seen how the plans of AFC to conduct the World Cup/ Asian Cup qualifiers will pan out. We will keep you updated on the latest developments in the coming days/months.

Player Profile – Kyrgyz Republic National Football Team

Air Force Club vs. JSW Bengaluru FCHere is a no-frills Player Profile of the Kyrgyz Republic National Football Team by Raghav Sastry. Follow him on twitter – The Indian 420

(GK) Pavel Matiash (30) : Height – 197cm, Weight – 94kg

Has 25 National Team caps with an average of 84min / game

Leagues Played – Uzbekistani 1st Div.; Malaysian 2nd Div.; Maldives 1st Div

(DF) Azamat Baimatov (28) ( captain ) : Height 188 cm, Weight – 79kg

Has 30 NT caps with 4 goals against Macau, Australia, Kazakhstan and Iran u-23

Leagues Played – Latvian 1st Div.; Bahraini 1st Div.; Indonesian 1st Div.; Russian 2nd Div.

(DF) Kursanbek Sheratov (28) : Height – 170cm, Weight – 65kg

17 NT caps with an average of 82 min/ game

Leagues Played – Kyrgyz 1st Div.

(DF) Tamirlan Kozubaev (23)

Leagues Played – Lithuanian 1st Div.; Serbian 1st Div. where he played for a club which got relegated to 2nd division in the season he played him

(DF) Aziz Sydykov (25) : Height – 170cm, Weight – 75kg

19 NT caps with an average of 64 min/ game

Leagues Played – Kyrgyz 1st Div.

(MF) Edgar Bernhardt (31) : Height – 174cm, weight – 65kg

He has a German, Russian and a Kyrgyz Citizenship (did not know 3 were possible)

14 NT caps with an average of 82 min / game and a goal against Bangladesh

Leagues Played – German 1st Div.; Netherlands 2nd Div.; Finnish 1st Div.; Polish 1st Div.; Oman 1st Div.

(MF) Furkhat Muzabekov (24): 9 caps in the u-21 team, 3 caps in the u-23 team and 13 caps for the Senior team.

Played in the Moldovan 1st Div.; Crimean 1st Division (Crimea was annexed by Russia and clubs in that region started playing in the Russian 3rd Division. Ukraine protested as they claim that Crimea is part of their territory. So, the UEFA created a new league and clubs from Crimea are to play in the league. Most clubs from that region are Ukrainian with a small of fraction of them holding “Crimean FIFA nationality)

(MF) Akhmedov Murolimzhon (26) : Two u-23 appearances against Jordan and Iran

He was voted as the best player in the 2017 season of the Kyrgyzstan 1st Div.

(MF) Pavel Sidorenko (30) : Height – 175cm, Weight 70kg

20 NT caps with an average of 62 min / game. He also scored a goal as part of the u-23 outfit against China u-23

Leagues played – Kyrgyz 1st division

(MF) Anton Zemlianukhin (29) : Height – 175cm | Leagues played – Turkish 2nd Division, Serbian 1st Divion, Thai 1st Scored 2 goals against Macau and 1 against Myanmar in the 2019 ACQ

(FWD) Bakhtiyar Duyshobekov (22) : 13 NT caps with 1 international goal against Tajikistan and 6 u-21 appearances with 1 goal

Leagues Played – Belarusian 1st Division, Turkish 4th division

(FWD) Viktor Maier (27) : Played for the u-17 Germany team with 10 appearances and 13 Kyrgyz NT caps with an average of 84 min / game

Leagues Played – German 3rd division, Dutch 2nd Division

(FWD) Vitalij Lux (29) : Height – 183cm, Weight – 82kg | 14 NT caps with an average of 75 min / game with a goal against Macau.

Leagues Pleayed – Lower regional German divisions and German 3rd Division

(FWD) Mirlan Murzaev (27) : He has a goal against Sri Lanka, Macau, India and Kazakhstan, 28 NT caps with an average of 60 min/ game

(DF) Valleri Kichin (25) : Kyrgyz player of Russian descent

He has played in the Russian 1st Division and Kyrgyz 1st division and currently plays for a club in the Russian 2nd division

(MF) Akhlidin Israilov (23) : Height – 180cm, Weeight – 65kg

He has played in the I- League with NEROCA FC and has played in the Indonesian 1st Division and Ukrainian 1st Division.

He has ten u-21 appearances with 1 gaol and 12 senior team caps with 2 goals

I-League champions, Aizawl FC, appoints Portuguese Paulo Menezes as Head Coach

Aizawl FC, Indianfootball, Football, Mizoram, Aizawl, India, Soccer, Portugal, Spain, Coach, Manger, Paulo Menezes, i-leaguePortuguese coach Paulo Menezes ​appointed as the manager of I-League champions, Aizawl FC for the 201​7/18​ season.

​Paulo was part of the coaching setup which masterminded the triumphs of the invincible Spanish National Team in the Confederations Cup, FIFA World Cup and European Championship during its golden era (2013 to 2016).

“When my representatives,  Trebol Sports Internat​ional ​informed me about this opportunity, I did not even think twice about it. ​​I have learnt about Indian football since 4 years ago and I have spoken to many people about it and how much it has grown over the years.  I want to be part of this and Aizawl FC is right at the heartbeat of this crescendo of development”.

The 39-year-old Portuguese acknowledged that Indian clubs have improved a lot during the past few years but in order to reach the pinnacle, they need to to adopt the organizational structure of a European club.

“Clubs must be receptive to the idea of developing many departments- scouting, marketing and the most important thing, a youth academy.

​I believe that in order to be the best club in the country or this region, it is a must to build a strong academy. From the junior to the senior teams, they must adopt the same game model and tactical system so that there is consistency of play throughout all levels. The assimilation of youth players to a senior level will then become a seamless process”.

As a former Vicente del Bosque’s coaching staff, it is no surprise that Paulo adopts the same football philosophy as the fearsome La Roja.

“​I will like my players to play the offensive game with a high level of ball possession so that they can create many scoring chances.  Depending on the game situation, we will vary the tempo of our attack but the main focus is on ball rentention”.

Besides plans to impose his Model of Game on the team and improve the club footballing structure, the former World Cup winner is also interested in developing the capabilities of the local players.

“I will like to help the players improve their skills- be it technically or tactically, so they can become more competitive and maintain a strong mentality before and during the game.  ​I believe I can contribute to Indian football by getting as many of the  local players into the National Team as possible.  I derive an immense sense of pride whenever I see my players put on their national colours.”

Pending his visa approval, Paulo is expected to arrive in Aizawl early next week to assume his new role.

East Bengal pinning hopes on Khalid Jamil

East Bengal, Football, Khalid Jamil, I-league, Soccer, Kolkata, Indianfootball

After a great season with the Mizoram side Aizawl FC, Khalid Jamil will descend the north-eastern hills to take over the Kolkata side East Bengal. Khalid performed magic with Aizawl FC by guiding them to the summit of the I-league, whereas East Bengal had a season to forget as their challenge under Aussie coach Trevor Morgan petered out in the final phase of the league.

Khalid Jamil will be eager to prove himself by managing a Kolkata club and ascertain that his incredible run with Aizawl FC was not just a flash in the pan. According to reports, Khalid has signed a deal worth 1.25 crores for two years, which will make him the highest earning Indian coach ever.

There is a lot of uncertainty regarding the upcoming football season, but East Bengal has been very quick in snapping up players and the head coach. A positive sign, as the club, seems to be taking the CFL campaign that will start in August quite seriously. A good performance in the CFL could be a good platform to build upon for the other bigger challenges that are awaiting the team in the next season.

East Bengal roping in the I-league winning coach shows a positive intent from the club, and this also offers some relief for their fans and the supporters of other I-league clubs as well. With news of clubs pulling out and shutting down flying thick and fast, this move by East Bengal might just force some other clubs to rethink their options and might want to test the waters for some more years.

After a lot of drama, East Bengal missed out on their chance to play in the Indian Super League due to differences on certain terms they had to agree to join the league. And with AIFF scheming to hold both the leagues (ISL & I-league) in parallel, there are concerns that I-league clubs will not be able to retain the best players as they will struggle to compete with financially sound ISL franchises. However, Khalid Jamil remained entirely oblivious to these changes as he quipped “Football will remain the same, be it ISL or I-League,” during the unveiling.

East Bengal has not had the best of its time in the top tier of Indian football ever since National Football League was re-branded to I-league in 2007. With a set of an explosive fan base and an equally crazy management to deal with, it would be interesting to see how Khalid Jamil’s foray into Kolkata Football would unfold.

Perhaps, Khalid is the answer for that ever evading I-league trophy!

Excerpts from FB live with Chennaiyin FC player Mohan Raj

Mohan Raj, Football, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, Indian Super League, Facebook Live, Fans, The Super MachansChennaiyinFC’s fan club- The Supermachans conducted facebook live chat with their player Mohan Raj. Here is an excerpt from interaction with the Tamil Nadu born player.

 1) Ronaldo or Messi?

Both are equally good but I’m a big fan of Ronaldo because he has performed well in 3 different countries-England, Spain and Portugal. He performs well wherever he goes

2) Who is your best friend in CFC?

I’m very close to all the foreign players, especially Eder because we spend a lot of time together in the gym. He’s a very sincere person. Mulder is also a very good friend of mine. In the Indian players, it’s Abishek Das.

3)Who is your role model?

My mother, because she has struggled a lot, and she is a hard worker

4)Who is the funniest person in CFC?

It’s Mendy Bernard. He is very friendly. He has played in bigger leagues and is now playing with us and having fun, I’m very happy for it

5) Will you prove yourself in next season?

(Gethu kaatuveengala) No one can say that but I’m getting prepared for it

6)Tell us about dhoni

I’m not saying this because he is my owner, but because he is one my two favorite sportsmen from whom I wished I could get an autograph, the other one being Ronaldo. The main reason I like him is because he came from a very poor background and proved himself to the world. I’m very happy to have met him and get his autograph on my jersey and frame it, that’s one of my dream come true.

7) What is your mindset in your difficult times? Life is all about ups and downs, it depends on the situation, we should be ready to face it, we need to be stable always, mind is what matters, when you are in a difficult situation, just think positive

8) We are waiting to see you in cfc this season!

Hopefully

9)Buffon or Neuer, who is no 1?

For me its Buffon, Neuer is like his son!! We cannot compare son and father, Buffon is no 1

10) What is your view on merging ISL and I league, is it good for Indian football?

Very good question, nothing is going to happen depending on what I say, but my opinion is that if it’s merged there are chances for many players

11) Difference between Chennai club and Kolkata?

There are so many differences, there everyone will be under pressure every single day to play, to perform in every single match. They are very passionate. Our state has just got a team, we have to create the passion in Chennai, you all should come and support Chennai, it’s our city, so we have to take it forward.

12) Your favourite and most comfortable position?

I have tried many positions from childhood, in 3-5-2, left side defending and attacking, I have got many chances in ATK under Habbas coach, I will play in any position in the left side, be it defending or attacking!!

13) Which is your favorite football club?

I’m little different, I like a club in each country, but Chelsea & Real Madrid are my first love

14) Who is your strength?

My strength is God, I believe in God’s grace, I read Bible regularly. In difficult times, those words motivate me a lot

15) Can we see many TN players in next ISL?

Hopefully! Few players are doing good, we can definitely see many players this season

16) Your football inspiration and the obstacles you had faced before becoming a player?

I chose this career aaccidentally . I lost my father when I was a kid and I had two elder sisters. I understood the situation and joined in sports school and stayed in hostel for free education, now it has brought me here. I had faced so many struggles and problems, God was with me and he has brought me here.

17) What do you think about Jerry Lalrinzuala and his future?

He is a young left back who plays for CFC. He plays really good. Watching Jerry reminds me of myself when I was 17 , 18 years old! He is a very good friend and a very nice guy. No can predict future, let’s wait and see.

18) Are you ready to face ISL 4?

I’m working hard for it, I hope I will have a good season

19) Can we expect retired players this season from Europe?

This question is not for me, it depends on whoever comes.

20)what is your advice to the young players rising across India?

Football’s future is very good compared to 10 years ago. We have so many facilities now which we didn’t have 10 years ago, so young generation put your heart ,mind and soul , and train hard and you will have a very good future. Keep motivating yourself, take the sport as a profession, every single day try to work hard to reach higher levels . Do not think about playing only in Indian clubs, I want many footballer to go abroad and play.

21) Your View on how to develop Indian football?

It’s my personal view- we have to concentrate on grassroots, now we have a recognized leagues, so we can train young players and make them play in recognized leagues, for that not only players we also need educated coaches, because training grown up players is different. Coaching them at a younger age is very important.

22) Are you happy to be a Tamizhan?

I’m super happy and super proud to be a Tamizhan

23) Are you happy on seeing Star sports in Tamil?

Yeah, of course, because there will be a huge reach in villages. It’s hard to understand Hindi & English, I know the struggle to learn these languages.Tamil is our language and is easy to understand.

24) What advice would you give football talents in Tamil Nadu?

I want more academies  to open in Tamil Nadu, and they should have educated coaches to train small kids. They have to give all facilities to them at an younger age, develop and motivate them and set a target to make them play for the country.

25) Can Tamil Nadu be a force? Does it have good coaches?

There are a few good coaches in Tamil Nadu. Soundar anna, Robin Anna, Ranjith Anna, Sabir Anna are all good coaches but unfortunately we have very less professional clubs to take them. I wish them good luck and wish they go and shine at a bigger level.

26) Who is your favourite team mate?

Everyone

27) What is your life’s motto?

Get up and do something for football until you die.

28) Few words on Robin Charles Coach

He is the man who recognised me during my struggling days. I still remember Soundar Rajan and Robin Charles were the ones who selected me to play in the Santhosh Trophy in 2006 which happened in Delhi. I have a huge respect for Robin and his family that will remain forever.

29) Your SAI experience?

SAI was life changing, thanks to Unni Coach and Subramaniam Coach. They were amongst the best coaches I had in my early ages. And then had met Manoharan Coach in Madurai. I have a huge respect for Unni Coach who used to wake up at 3:30 am and travel from Tambaram to coach us, although we went late at 6:15 am. He was very dedicated and must be happy now to see many SAI players playing in India. Also, I’d like to mention Kamali bhai and Lakshmanan from Madurai who helped me a lot in my early ages.

30) Any dream vacation spot?

Izbia, Spain

31) What are your objectives for the upcoming season?

To keep myself fit and free from injury. I’m working hard and want to play as much as possible in the coming season

32) How important do you think it is for players to interact with fans like this?

Without fans there will not be any football club. Fans come first under any circumstance, so I’m happy to interact with you guys. In fact, this is my first ever live session, personally and professionally.

33) Your views on TN training facilities and stadiums? Are they improving?

200% improved. ChennaiyinFC’s training ground is the best training ground at the moment. I have trained at the same ground as a SAI student and ChennaiyinFC has really improved the ground a lot. The facilities at both the training ground and stadium have been improved to a great extent by ChennaiyinFC.

34) Your comments on Dhanpal Ganesh?

I’m very very very very happy for him right now. He recovered from a very serious injury, played in I league and scored goals, and is now with the National team. I wish he continues this way and shines more. Namma ooru, namma payyan, he should definitely do well.

35) Few points to Supermachans to improve the experience for players

Come and support the team irrespective of whether they play good or bad. You have to stand by them during their tough times. Show the love you have for the city to the city’s club. It doesn’t matter who plays for the club and who doesn’t. The name is Chennaiyin and that’s where your support should lie.

36) Who’s the most humble person in ChennaiyinFC?

Everyone in the team is very humble. There’s no one who shows attitude and everyone’s very nice, but the most humble and cutest person is Raphael Augusto.

37) Before 3 years, did you expect two clubs from our city, one in ISL and the other in I league?

We always had talents, but we never had teams, so from the time I heard about ChennaiyinFC, I’ve been their number 1 fan.

38) Who has been your motivator about from your family members?

James, a friend from Chennai. He gives me right advices. I also read the Bible, the words from the Bible keep me motivated.

39) Has your family cheered you from the stadium?

No, because my mother is very sensitive. She cried after seeing Postiga being taken in a stretcher during the inauguration match in Chennai. I’m also her only son, and she’d be hurt if she ever sees me injured on the pitch. So I never bring her to the stadium when I play.

40) Which player mostly takes command of the team? Mendy Bernard

41) Your opinion on fans of CFC?

Our city, our fans, the best Thank you all for interacting with me. There’s Chennai coastal cleanup happening on June 18th which is a Sunday. Please go and participate to make our city clean. We have to do our little part to make our city better. I really appreciate Supermachans for taking up this initiative. You’re doing a great job apart from football. Thank you all!

You can watch the interaction with Mohan Raj here

Tata Trusts U Dream Football announces its partnership with Borussia Dortmund

Tata Trusts, U Dream Football, Partnership, Borussia DortmundMumbai, 11th May 2017: Tata Trusts U Dream Football today announced its ‘Technical’ partnership with Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund. The partnership with Borussia Dortmund, one of Germany’s most successful clubs, serial winners in both Germany and Europe will, enhance the quality of the Tata Trusts U Dream Football training programme.

In a first-of-its-kind initiative, the partnership will give the young footballers enrolled in the programme an opportunity to be trained by the Bundesliga side’s Youth Coaches, as also draw from the club’s world class training facilities.

Known widely for their youth development system, Borussia Dortmund has on its roster, top German stars like the current club captain Marcel Schmelzer, his deputy Marco Reus; world-cup winner Mario Gotze; and Christian Pulisic, one of the club’s young stars.

The teams under Tata Trusts U Dream Football program will train with Borussia Dortmund’s youth teams. The aim is to plan competitive games against each other, which will play a key role in the development of the children.

While the young aspirants are training to become top class footballers, they will also get their first taste of professional European football by watching Borussia Dortmund play live from the ‘Yellow Wall’, the largest free-standing grandstand in Europe with a capacity of 25,000. Known for its exhilarating atmosphere, watching a live Bundesliga game from the ‘Yellow Wall’ will certainly be an inspiring experience for the young footballers.

In 2016, Tata Trusts and U Dream Football partnered to use football as a tool for social development in India. The efforts took root in the North East, the region that contributes nearly 50% footballers to both the men and women’s national teams. 35 of North East India’s best young players were selected and began their training programme in January 2017. Now known as the Tata Trusts U Dream Football, the training programme is based in Bitburg, Germany, where the selected talents spend 10 months of the year training under a team of ranked coaches. Each week, the U15 and U17 sides play competitive games against top-ranked youth sides in the region as well as those in Belgium and Luxembourg. This year, both teams combined have played 20 games, winning 15 and losing only 3 games.

“Tata Trusts has a legacy of supporting various sports events and activities since its existence in 1892.” said R Venkatramanan, Managing Trustee Tata Trusts, “Sports has the potential of developing traits such as leadership, learning, sharing, and caring and of course the will to win.Sport is indeed a wonderful unified force to drive social programmes and change. Tata Trusts is privileged to collaborate with U Dream Football and Borsussia Dortmund in this developmental endeavor. Initiative such as these make us proud and encourage us to contribute every day.” 

Speaking at the event Ronnie Screwvala, Founder of U Sports said, “Today we reiterate our strong association with Borsussia Dortmund at the grassroot level but also about an overall commitment made by Tata Trusts and U Dream Football for basic football development in the country. We found an incredible partner in Tata Trusts which always thinks scale. U Dream appreciates their quick and unrelenting support to our aim of grooming children in football. Our two focus areas are to position sport as a great career option and make India one of the top 20 football-playing countries in the world.”

Christian Diercks, Lead-Youth Programmes, Dortmund BVB, said, “While the children are motivated to take up football, they are also extensively trained in the German schooling system, which gives them a chance to enhance their education and fulfill a realistic dream. There are also plans of bringing in Indian coaches to Dortmund, which is an intense football capital of the world and give them a chance to meet specialists in their field and exchange ideas on football training. I am happy to have this wonderful opportunity of supporting this endeavor in bringing about a long-term development of young kids.”

In addition to football training, the programme also offers academics and languages, laying focus on the holistic development of each child. Enrolled in Germany’s premier international school, they will pursue their academics under an international school board.

With 48 players currently enrolled in the programme, partnering with Borussia Dortmund will aid development of all those under the programme, as the club will provide constant support and directional guidance. Bundesliga clubs typically incubate between 200-300 players in their development programmes and thus it offers these players an opportunity to join Bundesliga sides as well. The goal of the programme is to ensure that

all enrolled players play professional football, by placing them in clubs across Europe, North America and Asia, including India. As the players’ development progresses, Tata Trusts U Dream Football will provide footballers with opportunities for a trial with leading clubs across Europe.

 

 

Second Division League 2016/17 set to kickoff today

Second Division League 2016/17, Football, India, 2nd, division, Fateh Hyderabad, Lonestar, Kashmir, Real Kashmir, Neroca, Pride Sports, Kenkre, Ozone, Sudeva FC, Mohammedan Sporting, Southern Samity, The Second Division League 2016/17 season is set to kickoff today. Twelve teams divided in to three groups will vie for the title. The league kicks off amidst the uncertainty regarding the impending restructuring of Indian football.  So much so that, at this point even the parent body will not be able to assure the winning team a guaranteed place in the top-tier of Indian football, with I-league’s future hanging in a balance.

Probably the only positive aspect about the 2016-17 2nd division league is that the there are two more teams participating in this edition. Teams like Real Kashmir FC (Jammu & Kashmir), Sudeva Moonlight FC (Delhi), Ozone FC Bengaluru (Bengaluru) and Pride Sports (Madhya Pradesh) are debuting in the league this season.

Following are the groups for the 2nd division league 2016-17 :

Group A: Sudeva Moonlight FC, Real Kashmir FC, Lonestar Kashmir FC, Delhi United FC
Group B: Hindustan FC, Southern Samity, Neroca FC, Mohammedan Sporting
Group C: Ozone FC Bengaluru, Pride Sports, Fateh Hyderabad FC, Kenkre Sports

Two clubs from each group will proceed to the National Finals where each Team will play against other on a home-away basis.

Fixtures :

Group A

Date Team A Team B Result
13-02-17 LoneStar Kashmir Football Club vs REAL KASHMIR
0:00:00
8/2/2017 DELHI UNITED vs SUDEVA MOONLIGHT F C
0:00:00
28-01-17 DELHI UNITED vs REAL KASHMIR
0:00:00
30-01-17 SUDEVA MOONLIGHT F C vs LoneStar Kashmir Football Club
0:00:00
2/2/2017 DELHI UNITED vs LoneStar Kashmir Football Club
0:00:00
4/2/2017 SUDEVA MOONLIGHT F C vs REAL KASHMIR
0:00:00
8/2/2017 REAL KASHMIR vs LoneStar Kashmir Football Club
0:00:00
12/2/2017 SUDEVA MOONLIGHT F C vs DELHI UNITED
0:00:00
18-02-17 REAL KASHMIR vs SUDEVA MOONLIGHT F C
0:00:00
19-02-17 LoneStar Kashmir Football Club vs DELHI UNITED
0:00:00
22-02-17 LoneStar Kashmir Football Club vs SUDEVA MOONLIGHT F C
0:00:00
22-02-17 REAL KASHMIR vs DELHI UNITED
0:00:00

Group B

Date Team A Score Team B Match Summary
21-01-17 Mohammedan Sporting Club  vs Southern Samity
16:00:00
22-01-17 HINDUSTAN F C  vs NEROCA FC
19:00:00
27-01-17 Mohammedan Sporting Club  vs NEROCA FC
0:00:00
28-01-17 Southern Samity  vs HINDUSTAN F C
0:00:00
4/2/2017 NEROCA FC  vs Southern Samity
0:00:00
5/2/2017 HINDUSTAN F C  vs Mohammedan Sporting Club
0:00:00
11/2/2017 Southern Samity  vs Mohammedan Sporting Club
0:00:00
12/2/2017 NEROCA FC  vs HINDUSTAN F C
0:00:00
17-02-17 Mohammedan Sporting Club  vs HINDUSTAN F C
0:00:00
18-02-17 Southern Samity  vs NEROCA FC
0:00:00
25-02-17 HINDUSTAN F C  vs Southern Samity
0:00:00
25-02-17 NEROCA FC  vs Mohammedan Sporting Club
0:00:00

Group C

Date Team A Score Team B Match Summary
20-01-17 Fateh Hyderabad AFC  vs PRIDE SPORTS
15:45:00
21-01-17 Ozone FC Bengaluru  vs Kenkre FC
15:00:00
27-01-17 Ozone FC Bengaluru  vs PRIDE SPORTS
0:00:00
27-01-17 Kenkre FC  vs Fateh Hyderabad AFC
0:00:00
4/2/2017 PRIDE SPORTS  vs Kenkre FC
0:00:00
5/2/2017 Fateh Hyderabad AFC  vs Ozone FC Bengaluru
0:00:00
9/2/2017 Fateh Hyderabad AFC  vs Kenkre FC
0:00:00
10/2/2017 PRIDE SPORTS  vs Ozone FC Bengaluru
0:00:00
16-02-17 Ozone FC Bengaluru  vs Fateh Hyderabad AFC
0:00:00
16-02-17 Kenkre FC  vs PRIDE SPORTS
0:00:00
24-02-17 Kenkre FC  vs Ozone FC Bengaluru
0:00:00
24-02-17 PRIDE SPORTS  vs Fateh Hyderabad AFC
0:00:00

Santosh Trophy 2017 : South Zone Qualifiers – Groups & Fixtures

Santosh Trophy, 2017, South Zone Qualifiers, South Zone, Qualifiers, Kozhikode

 

 

 

 

South Zone qualifiers for Santosh Trophy 2016 will be held in EMS Stadium in Kozhikode starting from January 5. Teams in the south zone are divided into two groups.

Champions of the respective groups will qualify for the final round.

Group A : Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra, Puducherry
Group B  : Services, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Lakshadweep
Date Schedule Results
Jan 5 Kerala vs Puducherry 3-0
Jan 5 Karnataka vs Andhra Pradesh 1-2
Jan 6 Services vs Telangana 7-0
Jan 6 Tamil Nadu vs Lakshadweep 2-0
Jan 7 Puducherry vs Karnataka 0-3
Jan 7 Kerala vs Andhra Pradesh 0-3
Jan 8 Telangana vs Tamil Nadu 0-4
Jan 8 Lakshadweep vs Services 0-4
Jan 9 Puducherry vs Andhra Pradesh  0-0
Jan 9 Kerala vs Karnataka
Jan 10 Telangana vs Lakshadweep
Jan 10 Services vs Tamil Nadu

Matches : 2.30 pm and 4.30 pm

AIFF general secretary Kushal Das is living in a fool’s paradise – Sporting Clube de Goa

AIFF, Sporting Clube De Goa, Football, Indian Football, Goa, I-league, SCG, Flaming Oranje

Sporting Clube De Goa

The pull-out of Salgaocar FC and Sporting Clube de Goa should have been a wake-up call for the AIFF to at least now set its messy house in order but instead the federation, and its ignorant general secretary, have resorted to unnecessarily pointing the accusing finger at us. In an interview to a news agency and other media channels, Das said “FC Bardez have a bigger fan following than these clubs. I have seen them in the Goa Pro League.”

Kushal Das is really cut-off from the reality. To say that a four-month old club has more fan following than us is ridiculous and a huge insult to the contribution of clubs like Salgaocar FC and Sporting Clube de Goa, who have contributed immensely to the development of Indian football.

We wonder how many matches Kushal Das watched in Goa and how many I-League matches he has attended since becoming secretary?

For the ignorant Kushal Das’s knowledge, until some years ago, both clubs attracted massive crowd wherever it played. The Nehru Stadium, Fatorda, saw big attendances but since Praful Patel took over as president and Kushal Das was appointed secretary, the numbers have dwindled. Indian football’s slump is also reflected in the poor rankings and much of this is due to mismanagement by the AIFF.

The AIFF cannot blame the Goan clubs to hide its own inefficiency.

Indian football is at its lowest ebb and an ill-informed secretary doesn’t help its cause.

Kushal Das must remember that he is a paid employee of the AIFF. We have not made a living out of football but instead helped others make a living through football. It is clear that Kushal Das, who is occupying a wrong chair, has no clue about football in India and his comments reflect the deplorable state of AIFF at the moment.

Kushal Das is an embarrassment for Indian football. He must apologise for his comments which are shocking and uncalled for.

Mr. Victor G Fernandes
CEO.
SPORTING CLUBE DE GOA

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