Nothing but football.
Image Courtesy : http://www.salgaocarfc.in
We had earlier mentioned that quality attracts eye balls too. Some imports from English game means, I-league is being covered by different media outlets from Britain now. Earlier we saw Ashley Westwood being featured in skysports.com.
Now we have Darryl Duffy of Salgaocar FC being featured in BBC.
Read the interview with the Scotsman on BBC here.
This is a guest column by by Yogesh Maurya (Football coach), where he does a tactical analysis of the Bengaluru FC team.
Numbers up! :
Given the outstanding qualities of centre halves John Johnson and Curtis Osano, BFC can push the current 4:3:3 and morph when beneficial into a 3:5:2 or 3:4:3 during phases of a match. As the wing backs develop their confidence and tactical instincts further, they can push deeper into the middle and attacking thirds allowing for better build-up play and pressing in transition. And even more dangerous at times, in a 3:4:3 we could see one of the wing backs pushing up further inside and allowing the very talented wingers in Chhetri and Beingaichho to push further forward.
Kiss…the carpet that is..Keep It Simple Stupid! :
[ Though some would bet the Gaffer likes to substitute the final word! 🙂 ] There are some very talented players in the group, and none more so than current holding midfielder Johnny Menyongar. When BFC play through him on the ground, five to ten meters, we see composure, class and a gutsy risk taker in action. A perfect example was the second goal against Rangdajied United, when he struck a wonderful ball nearly 40 meters to the equally prepared Beingaichho who took it down in stride and took on his defender with conviction and swagger.
Counter attack! :
The third goal against Rangdajied United demonstrated why BFC is going to be a lot to handle on the break. Sunil Chhetri’s speed and clear comfort attacking with his shoulders square to the goal combined with Rooney’s rare gift of playing with his back to the goal on the wonderful turf pitch suits the guile this team has shown to play counter at will.
Pressing please! :
(Not the kit laundry man!) With classy center halves and Menyongar’s ability to play the first or second ball on the carpet in transition, BFC will press higher closing the gaps between the defensive unit and midfield much faster, and they can take that risk given the speed they have in midfield and the confidence with which the center halves are organized. Obviously the team will also get fitter as the games move forward. As one could see at pitch level, it was still quite warm. Let’s give the players credit for fighting through what is some heavy air…for all of Bangalore’s much celebrated greenery and great weather, the stadium is in the center of town and whether we like it or not, the players are coping with pollution just like the rest of us!
Looking forward to the next run of matches.
Yogesh Maurya :
Was a United States High School All-American football player and represented the State of New Jersey as a player in the US Olympic Development Program throughout his teenage years. He has worked with some of the top coaches in US football like former US National Coach Bob Bradley, former US International Dieter Ficken and corever youth coach Tom Reilly
Image Courtesy : goal.com
Reports from Bangladesh confirm that Nathan Hall United Sikkim’s coach has joined Abahani Limited, a Bangladesh Premier League side.
Nathan Hall hailing from Australia has coaching experience in Thailand and had joined United Sikkim in November 2012.
The Australian coach will join the Bangladeshi outfit towards the end of this month.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club to tie up with Indian IT firm St Angelo’s Oce. Reports suggest chairman Phil Gartside will be in Mumbai to ink a deal for a 10-day residential football coaching and personality development camp in England.
Imphal, October 01 2013: The AIFF/AMFA Grassroots course is scheduled to be held from 12 to 14 October, 2013 .
All the DSAs/DFAs have been informed to submit lists of their players to take part in the course.
Football aspirants who want to participate in the course are to pay Rs.500/- as fee.
The schedule for holding the course would be notified on 7/10/2013 .
Source: Hueiyen News Service
140 academies spread over 14 districts of Kerala will fight it out in an Academy league that has commenced in Kochi. Read more details on the same from the news clipping taken from Indian Express Kochi edition. Due credits to Adwaidh Rajan on reporting this interesting development from Kerala.
Clipping from http://newindianexpress.com/cities/kochi/
Itanagar, Sept. 30 : Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Nabam Tuki set yet another record today, by ensuring the signing of an MoU between English Premier League club Reading FC and the Arunachal Pradesh Football Association (APFA) for promoting hidden soccer talent in the state.Reading FC adviser Tomo Nomuk and APFA president and Lok Sabha member Takam Sanjoy signed the MoU in the presence of Chief Minister Tuki, Sports Authority of Arunachal Pradesh Chairman Tapuk Taku and Vice Chairman Likha Tara, several lawmakers and state government officials in Itanagar.
Expressing his happiness, Tuki said despite the procedural and bureaucratic delay, Arunachal has become the first state in India to ink such agreement with an Englsih Premier League club.
He informed that his government would provide grant of Rs 35 lakh to the APFA through the Department of Sports and Youth Affairs (DoSYA) for meeting the expenses of to and fro expenses, training, lodging and the boarding and lodging of two senior coaches the club would be engaging for six months for hunting soccer talent throughout the state.
The club would also assist and advice in the setting up of a football academy in the state.
During the recent U-19 football tournament, the Arunachal team beat all states except Kerala and Mizoram, which reflected the abundance of hidden talent in the state, Tuki said, adding that the MoU is in tune with his government’s policy to promote sports and games, and to convert the negative energies of the Arunachalee youth to positive to make them vibrant and self-reliant while contributing to nation building.
The chief minister also proposed that state’s best soccer team could be taken to London to play with the Reading Club on an exposure trip or vice versa.
Sanjoy joined Tuki in appreciating Nomuk for his initiative that led to the agreement. He said the coaches would conduct week-long camp in cluster basis to hunt talent before training them and assured that the APFA would ensure the dream of the state government to produce national and global level footballers turn a reality.
Pointing out that physical fitness and diet hold the key to become a top footballer, Pollution Control Board chairman Ralom Borang suggested to set up a gym and an artificial turf for the players to practice.
Shillong in the entire North East region has two turfs, he said, and welcomed the exposure trip of state’s soccer team.
“The MoA would be a unique opportunity for the young footballers of the state with the huge impact of the training by both the coaches. Besides coaching the coaches would educate them about healthy living. Football is more about tactical, technical, physical and social,” Nomuk said.
Assuring the best efforts of the club to offer world class training, Nomuk said that the club has decided to set up a football academy in Jharkhand soon and the same expertise could be given to Arunachal as well.
Agriculture Marketing Board chairman Techi Kaso, DoSYA assistant director Tadar Apa and OSD Ramesh Lingi were present on the occasion.
“Arunachal Pradesh can produce world-class footballers if the abundant talent is properly harnessed. There is no reason why budding footballers in the state cannot graduate to the world level”, was the comment of Eamonn Dolan and Lee Heron, both renowned coaches of Reading FC.
The duo had during their maiden tour of the state in October last year had interacted with the students of Sange Lhaden Sports Academy and watched many football matches including of the famous Tadar Tang Memorial State Level Football Tournament at Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, Naharlagun.
Eamonn, also director of the Club, is one of the top football academy managers in the world, credited with playing for the Republic of Ireland under 21.
Report sourced from : ANI – EPL club Reading-APFA sign MoU to help Arunachal soccer soar
East Bengal has registered a formal complaint to AFC against Kuwait SC over the shabby treatment meted out to the Indian team so far.
First there was the visa issue where 3 players and 4 officials did not receive visas on time. This left captain Mehtab Hossain, defender Arnan Mondal and Gurwinder Singh in lurch and they could only travel to Kuwait late last night.
East Bengal is also unhappy about the accommodation as they accused not enough drinking water was available in the players’ rooms. East Bengal secretary Kalyan Majumdar accused that Kuwait SC is playing games to unsettle East Bengal.
Read more : Fuming East Bengal complain to AFC against Kuwait SC
Image Courtesy : Kerala Coach Purushothaman Thekkathara T G’s facebook profile.
Kerala lost to Sports Authority of India team 5-2 in the finals ( Tier 11) Junior National Football Championship for B.C Roy Trophy that was held at Bokaro in Jharkhand.
Kerala was in fine form throughout the championship, scripting huge margin wins against Jammu Kashmir, Rajasthan and then edged out Arunchal Pradesh on a solitary goal in the group stages. In the semifinal Kerala pipped a strong Chandigarh team 3-0.
By the time the kerala team reached the finals, they had scored over 26 goals and conceded none. However, when it came to the final Kerala fell short and lost to the SAI team. The last time Kerala won the Junior National Football Championship was in 1973. This defeat quashed Kerala’s effort to clinch the title again after 30 years. Even though not an excuse, the ground was almost unplayable due to the torrential rain that lashed in Bokaro the day before the finals.
The silver lining however is that by qualifying for the finals of Tier II, Kerala has secured a place in the Tier I of the next edition of tournament. Kerala’s dismal performance during the recent years had them demoted to the Tier II of the tournament.
Watch this excellent interview with Zohib Islam Amiri, Afghanistan captain and Mumbai FC defender, where he talks about winning SAFF Championship, his opinion on Indian football, how was it to live in Afghanistan as a child and so on.
Due to credits to Firstpost.com on this excellent interview.
Also make sure you read this excellent transcript of the whole interview : Running from bombs: The stunning story of Afghan footballer Zohib Amiri