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Ayeyawady’s Match-fixing Saga : The Breaking News that I Couldn’t Break!

July 4, 2016 footballnewsindia Leave a comment

Perks and dilemma of being an Indian football influencer.

The latest news from Myanmar is that Ayeyawady United is under the scanner from authorities over match fixing. A report that has appeared in Myanmar Times have revealed that a club official, along with some players fixed a few of their matches in Myanmar league, and also an AFC cup match. We are not yet sure of which AFC cup match of Ayeyawady was fixed, it will only be revealed after investigations are completed by the Myanmar league and the club itself. In AFC Cup, Ayeyawady was in a group comprising of Bengaluru FC, Johor from Malaysia and Lao Toyota FC from Laos.

It is being reported that an anonymous complaint has been filed with the Myanmar league authorities, involving officials and players of club. Ayeyawady had contrasting fortunes in the AFC Cup group stage as they got thorough drubbings at the hands of Johor (8-1) and Bengaluru FC (5-3) in their away matches. The home leg matches were also defeats, but the margin was less as they went down 0-1 to Bengaluru FC and 1-2 to Johor. They also managed two wins against the Laos side Lao Toyota FC.

On April 13th, when Bengaluru FC played Ayeyawady at home, and defeated them 5-3, I was quite elated. But suddenly, my sense of elation turned into a sense of concern, as an unknown twitter handle claimed that the match was probably fixed. It was a commendable performance from BFC and all of a sudden when I got to hear this, it made me a bit upset. I started digging deeper to get more information on this.

In no time, I followed the handle that broke this news and discussed why he thought that the match was fixed. This person, who introduced himself as a professional gambler from UK, explained why he thought the BFC vs Ayeyawady match was probably fixed and this is why he thought so.

Basically the odds in play were not moving naturally all game. Everything was almost over in the match and Bengaluru was getting hit constantly. Even with 2 minutes to go, the odds were so so short. The odds should be going the other way when the game is nearly over etc. Nearly every round of AFC cup games, a team will be fixing.

He went on to claim that it is pretty common for teams from Myanmar and Laos to indulge in match fixing.

Usually a Myanmar side or Laos side. Even happening in world cup qualifying games in Asia too. FIFA/AFC seem to take a blind eye towards it. I’m a professional gambler so it’s very easy for me to read the odds in Asian betting markets to see a game that looks dodgy.

…And was quick to point out that so far he has not seen an Indian team involving in fixing and gave a clean chit to our football.

For Bengaluru the prices were so much lower than what they should be. The defending for the goals back it up too. But yeah anyway the good news is that i’ve not seen an indian team fix this year so i’m pretty certain your football is clean.

We still don’t know if the match involving Bengaluru FC was fixed or not. But it was very surprising for me to see a report pop up this week – JDT’s AFC Cup opponent Ayeyawady face match-fixing investigation. Betting is not a silly issue, that I could go public without some credible evidence. So I kept it to myself, and later shared my concerns with some close friends who actively track Indian Football. They did not express any surprise either after hearing the news.

Betting is a dicey issue and it probably happens a lot in Asian football. Many reports claim that there are many betting cartels active in Asia. The recent inclusion of Justice Mudgal in FIFA’s governance committee is definitely a step by FIFA to utilize his expertise in understanding these networks that operate in Asia, especially South Asia. Justice Mudgal was appointed by the Indian Supreme Court as part of a three-member committee that led the inquiry in the IPL betting and spot fixing case.

Afterthought: There are no considerable rewards for running an Indian Football news Twitter handle, except having some followers among fans, players, officials and journalists, who are connected with and are passionate about the sport. But the real joy is when you get trinkets of information such as this alert on match fixing, which later gets substantiated. Call it a dilemma or a joy – these are definitely perks of being an Indian Football Influencer.

Should Aizawl FC be relegated?

May 5, 2016 footballnewsindia Leave a comment

Aizawl FC, North East, Football, Mizoram, Aizawl, I-league, Relegation, Gowth, development

Before Aizawl FC played their first I-league match against Mohun Bagan, I had not seen them play ever. Against Bagan, under their Spanish coach, Manuel Retamero Fraile, they played some amazing football. Short crisp passing and movement, which is not a very usual sight in Indian football. Even though they lost the match 3-1, they did not look like a team who were newly promoted and looked like a solid unit. Joy to watch but not efficient enough. For all that flair and style, Aizawl was not able to convert their chances. When they played at home, matches were sold out and got good support all through the league. Eventually, they fell short and is about to get the boot from I-league. But do they really deserve to be relegated?

Should have been more ambitious and pragmatic?

Aizawl played good football but they lacked a good striker to convert those chances. It was clear that they wouldn’t have escaped relegation without some quality players. But instead of recruiting some players, they went ahead and sacked their coach.

Aizawl under Manuel Retamero Fraile : L D L W L L
Aizawl under Jahar Das : D W L D L W L D L W

As evident, their fortunes did not change drastically even after they replaced their coach. Under Jahar Das, AFC did add Joel Sunday, a Nigerian striker who scored quite a few goals for them. However, I feel they should have retained their Spanish coach and should have added some more quality players to their side. If I-league players were too costly, they should have checked for some 2nd division players. Some more quality in their squad would have definitely helped their case.

Should Aizawl FC stay up?

The northeastern region in India is currently the hotbed of Indian football, especially Mizoram. They have a very promising set up in the state in terms of league and development. No wonder there are over 40 players from Mizoram playing in I-league. This was not achieved overnight. It is the fruition of a dedicated effort over the years – the results are there to show. Mizoram’s Santosh trophy win in 2014 and their victory at the National Games is a testament to that commitment. Aizawl FC’s entry into I-league after topping the 2nd division is a gradual and logical progression in Mizoram’s football journey. The question is should we have to forcefully halt that progression?

Over the last few years, we have had many clubs coming in and going out of I-league, especially from North East. If Rangdajied was thrown out, Royal Wahindoh decided to shut down their senior team after a swashbuckling appearance in I-league. And now Aizawl is on the brink of relegation. Whatever the reasons are, this is some serious injustice to clubs from the North East where football is undergoing considerable growth and is a huge market.

Resources of these clubs from North East might not match with others in the league, but what they have is sheer passion and commitment towards the sport. Take Royal Wahingdoh for example. They withdrew from I-league, but they have been a strong presence in the U-15 League, of which they were the runners-up after going down to Minerva on penalties.

If we are to reward the North East region and their football, instead of being a destructive force, stakeholders in Indian football should handhold these clubs to success. That could only lead to more aspiring clubs from North East to vie for spots in I-league and 2nd division.

The latest edition of I-league was a nine-team affair after Royal Wahindogh and Bharat FC backing out. If Aizwal is retained in the league and with another team promoted from the 2nd division, the number of teams in the I-league for the next edition could be a respectable ten.

As the data from the poll, I conducted on FNI suggests, a lot of fans are in favor of Aizawl FC staying up in the league. It’s time the voices are heard out loud and clear – let’s hope someone is taking a note.

BIG Question : Should @AizawlFC be saved from relegation & allowed to play #Heroileague next season? #Indianfootball

— football news india (@fni) May 4, 2016

Mumbai’s Premier Football League 2016 won by Kick FC

March 23, 2016 footballnewsindia Leave a comment

The 4^th edition Premier Football League was held at the Ascend International ground from 7 February to 13 March 2016 on Sunday mornings. The league was organised by PIFA.

There were 32 teams, 250 players playing in 4 age categories – U11, U13, U16 and open age.

This year the tournament was played on a league format with the winners declared on the highest number of points after all teams played one another. It was one of the closest contested league this season with all winners being confirmed on the last day.

The Open Category was won Kick FC headed by Prasham Shah and the Bajaj brother Yash & Kabir. Runners up – OIS ASB headed by Davi Netto, an ex Brazilian Club player.

The winners of the U16 category was Project Mayhem captained by Amaan Kharachiwala, they pipped Angry Bulls Captained by Ryan Pontis on goal difference.

The winners of the U13 category was Panthers from Ecole Mondiale, captained by Aditya Shivkumar, they too won on a one goal difference over Youngstars captained by Jordan Narohna.

The U10 was won by OIS United by one point beating Jedi Knights.

The event Energy Drink partner was Fruit Shoot and Refreshment partners was Fruit Aqua.

Chennai – Schools Premier League returns with ISL champions Chennaiyin FC as the partners

February 25, 2016 footballnewsindia Leave a comment

Rated one of the best grassroots initiatives, Schools Premier League which was launched in the city in 2014, is back again. After being a massive hit with schools in the first season, the second edition of the league returns with Indian Super League champions Chennaiyin FC as the partners.

It kicked off today at MCC schools. Radiance Sports are title sponsors this season and the league will be called ‘ Radiance Sports – Schools Premier League ‘, whileArtemis Cars have agreed to be associate sponsors.Vidya Mandir won the first edition of the Schools Premier League, beating Velammal School in a nail biting encounter under lights at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.

The league will see 16 schools from the city compete in the under-14 age category. The 16 teams will be split into two groups with the top two from each group qualifying for the semi-finals. There are plans to expand the league next year to target more age-group categories and also increase the number of participants.

Chennaiyin FC will provide complete match kits for all the schools in the league. The top performing kids in this league will have a chance to be selected for Chennaiyin FC’s Centre of Excellence program. Newly-appointed Chennaiyin FC assistant coach and technical directorof grassroots Syed Sabir Pasha and the club’s development officers will be closely following the tournament to identify the best talents.

Varun Tripuraneni, Chennaiyin FC Chief Operating Officer and Founder of Schools Premier League commented, “The league was a massive hit in season one and schools were constantly behind us to organise the second edition of the league. We are now happy to return with Chennaiyin FC as the partners.

“We had terrific participation from schools in the first season where we had players, parents, school principals glued to the website for constant updates on matches, statistics, points table and we believe that this season, the league will be even bigger. The introduction of the schools league was something we felt was paramount for the development of football in local schools and this was the motive behind us starting such an initiative.

“The Radiance Sports – Schools Premier League, in partnership with Chennaiyin FC, is an opportunity to provide these hopeful youngsters a platform to showcase and refine their football talents. The response from the schools has been extremely positive from the first season and it was extremely tough shortliting the 16 school teams this season. I would like to thank Radiance Sports, for buying into our vision and supporting us in what will be a first of its kind league in the country.

“Having Chennaiyin FC as the partners will also give the participants extra motivation as our club will closely monitor the matches and select the best performers for our Centre of Excellence.”

Chennaiyin FC assistant coach and technical director of grassroots Syed Sabir Pasha said, “We at Chennaiyin FC are always looking to develop the best talent of the state and partnering with this league gives us an opportunity to see more talented young footballers in action. I encourage all the schools, kids, coaches, teachers and parents to give their very best in this tournament.”

Mr Varun Manian, Managing Director – Radiance Developers Pct Ltd commented, “We are very proud to associate with Schools Premier League as principal sponsor. We were associated with this initiative in the first season as well and we believe that this initiative will go a long way in developing the young talent in the country. We wish all the participating teams the best of luck. “

SportsMechanics – Schools Premier League : Strategic Partnership

Schools Premier league along with SportsMechanics India a leader in Sports Analytics, Consulting, technology services today announced a strategic partnership with the schools premier league to leverage the latest technological advances, fan engagement and analytics to transform the experience of local football fans in the city, teams and players in the grassroots segment.

As part of this Deal, Sports Mechanics will become the Fan Engagement Partner and Technology Sponsor of the Schools Premier league for the next two years.

Varun Tripuraneni, Founder, Schools Premier League said, “ we welcome an industry leader in SportsMechanics to this league and take an important step towards exploring new opportunities in this area “.

‘’ Our partnership with Sports Mechanics will focus on fan engagement across various digital mediums.An important part of developing players is ensuring they are prepared in the best possible way. The players can watch highlights of the goals scored, look at the other important statistics like shots on target, minutes played and also analyse the opposition by knowing their performance in the previous games which will all be available on the website,” added Varun.

C.K.M.Dhananjai, One of the Founding Members and Vice President, SportsMechanics, said, “ We are looking forward to create a unique digital platform and think about how we can discover and execute differential and engaging experiences for fans for a unique tournament like this.

Playing sports in school is something we would have all cherished and enjoyed. SportsMechanics would like to re invent and bring these memories using our Platforms to give schools, players, coaches and fans with an immersive experience across the schools premier league’s digital channel.

This will also mean that the information available can be used by coaches, players and teams to analyse their own performances too.

Kerala – Just Play Project Manager Applications invited

February 22, 2016 footballnewsindia Leave a comment

The Australian Football Federation with the support of Australian Govt along with the Oceania Football Confederation have with the approval of AIFF decided to implement the award winning grassroots football development program “JUST PLAY” in Kerala on a pilot project basis.

The “JUST PLAY” program will be implemented by a Project Manager which will be a full time position based in Kochi. The Kerala Football Association on behalf of “JUST PLAY” invites applications from candidates who are interested to take up the posting.

The Project Manager will co-ordinate with the KFA as well as the Oceania Football Confederation to implement the program, he/she will also be responsible for expanding the program across the state, consult and work the state government, monitor and evaluate the program and report the same.

The candidate must be a Master’s Degree holder in Program Management/MBA/Economics/ Social Science and have 2 years professional experience in Program Management.

Selected candidate will be trained by Oceania Football Confederation and provided competitive remuneration package based on Skills and experience.

Applications must be mailed to KFA office by post or email on fakerala@rediffmail.com by latest Feb 25th evening.

Job Description & How to apply :

From the Street to Santosh trophy – Inspiring Story of Bibin Ajayan, Jharkhand’s Santosh Trophy player

February 9, 2016 footballnewsindia Leave a comment

When Bibin’s mother Vasantha left their home, with her toddlers after persistent harassment from her husband, she would have never imagined what lay in store for her son, Bibin.

Her misery did not end after leaving home either – She was brutally attacked by some people on the street in Kochi in June 2006 and was shifted to a near-by hospital. She left her four kids including Bibin in Janaseva Sisubahavan in Aluva, a care-home for street children.

Bibin learned the basics of football from the Janaseva sports academy under the guidance of former Kerala Santosh trophy player Soly Xavier. He then went on to captain Ernakulam district team and then the Kerala state team. In 2014, Bibin was selected to the SAIL football academy in Bokaro. Since then he has been training with the academy in Jharkhand.

Now, his talent has been recognized and is being rewarded as he got selected to represent Jharkhand in the 2016 Santosh Trophy East Zone qualifiers taking place in Kolkata. Bibin is only 17 and is probably one of the youngest players ever to play in Santosh Trophy. He has a long career ahead and we wish him all the best!

LG partners IFA for LG IFA Shield U-19 Tournament 2015-2016

February 2, 2016 footballnewsindia Leave a comment

Kolkata, 2^nd February 2016 – IFA announced its partnership with LG Electronics for the LG IFA Shield U-19 Tournament today.

The IFA Shield is the most prestigious football competition organized by the Indian Football Association since 1893. It is the fourth oldest club cup competition in the world after the English and Scottish FA cup’s and the Durand cup. In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the viewership of football in India and the IFA Shield, which was made into a U-19 Tournament two years ago, is confident of gaining huge popularity.

To spread the popularity of LG IFA Shield U-19 Football Tournament beyond the borders of Bengal, some of the group matches of the tournament will be played in Kerala and Goa. As part of IFA’s commitment of development of youth football, IFA is committed to make the LG IFA Shield U-19 Tournament 2015-2016 into the most popular U-19 tournament in India.

Mr Baichung Bhutia unveiled the shield, which, even though the tournament has been modified into a U-19 tournament, has not changed since its inception. The country’s biggest U-19 sporting spectacle will see ten teams competing with each other over four weeks beginning 16^th Feb.

With 23 matches being played across Bengal, Goa, and Kerala, this tournament celebrates the vibrant spirit of football showcasing some of the best U-19 talent available in the country today. The historical shield will also be taken on a Trophy Tour across various malls and social clubs in Kolkata in bid to bring the game closer to football fans and create more excitement around the tournament.

The participant includes Kingfisher East Bengal Club, Mohun Bagan AC, Md. Sporting Club, United Sports Club and U-19 team of All India Football Federation.

Besides these 5 teams, discussions are on with a team from Kerala, a team from Goa, Crystal Palace FC and one other overseas team.

LG India has also planned various online and on-ground promotional activities to engage with consumers and football aficionados and create a buzz around the tournament. The promotions will happen at all the major brand stores and MBOs. With buy-and-win offers, if you are lucky you could even win a chance to meet the celebrity.

Commenting on the occasion, Mr Niladri Datta, Head Corporate Marketing, LG Electronics India said, “LG has always believed in the spirit of sports and it is a great honour for LG to be associated with the Indian Football Association. We are happy to encourage young sporting talent by providing a platform for them to showcase their skills and spirit. Kolkata is the city of football lovers, where the game is followed ardently and we are thrilled to be here amidst all the positivity. LG salutes the spirit of the game that resonates strength, competition and dynamism. This association with IFA also serves as a platform for LG to connect with consumers who are football fans and passionate about the game.”

Speaking at the Press Conference, Mr UK Ganguli, Hony. Secretary of IFA (WB) said, “We are delighted to have LG Electronics as our partner for LG IFA Shield U-19 Tournament 2015-2016 and are extremely grateful for their support for Bengal football in general, and LG IFA Shield U-19 Tournament 2015-2016 in particular. The development of youth football is essential for improving the performance of Bengal football as well as Indian football and the LG IFA Shield U-19 Tournament 2015-2016 will provide an opportunity for the most talented U-19 players of the country to showcase their performance. LG, apart from supporting the tournament as the Title Sponsor, has planned various promotional activities to create interest for the tournament and we hope that the football loving people of Bengal will extend their support for the tournament by watching the matches in large numbers and cheering for their favourite teams in person.’’

Mr Baichung Bhutia, who attended the Press Conference as Special Invitee, said, “Kolkata and football are synonymous with each other and it is a great honour to be here for the LG IFA Shield U-19 Tournament 2015-2016. It gives me immense pleasure in promoting a game that is close to my heart and embedded into the socio-cultural fabric of the city.”

Ms Mimi Chakraborty, the popular film actress and youth icon said, “I have grown up watching football in Kolkata and I am very happy to be a part of this legendary tournament. I hope to see Kolkatans come together to celebrate the spirit of the game and have an experience of a lifetime.”

Academy League Kicks off in Kerala

February 1, 2016 footballnewsindia Leave a comment

In a first of it’s kind, Kerala Football Association is conducting a academy league in which football academies across the state will be competing. Fourteen teams competing in the league are divided in to four groups. The winner from each group will enter the semi finals of the the competition.

Group A:

Talent FA (Palakkad); Falcon (Wayanad); MSP (Malappuram); St. Mary’s Arakkulam (Idukki).

Group B:

Kickers FA (Kannur); St. George Academy; Kaippuzha (Kottayam); Chavara FA (Kollam); Red Star FA (Thrissur).

Group C:

New Soccer Academy (Kozhikode); Eravil Coaching Cenre (Kasargod); SCA Academy (Pathanamthitta).

Group B:

Janaseva Athani (Ernakulam); Santos FA; Ochira (Alappuzha); SBFA, Poovar (Thiruvananthapuram).

Fixtures:

Kovalam FC on a fine run in the U-15 Youth League

January 28, 2016 footballnewsindia Leave a comment

Kovalam FC, the sole participant from Kerala in the ongoing U-15 Youth League is on a fine run. With one more match to go, Kovalam is currently the toppers of Group F : Rest of India II.

After going down to Fateh Hyderabad 2-1 in a closely contested opening match, Kovalam FC came back strongly to defeat Boca Juniors Football academy from Bangalore 7-1 in their second match. From then on there has been no looking back for Kovalam FC. In the subsequent matches, Kovalam defeated Mahogany FC 4-1(Chennai) and overcame Ozone FC (Bengaluru) 2-1.

Kovalam FC will play their final match on 30th vs Bengaluru FC. Kovalam will have to at least manage a draw from their last match, if they have to maintain their chances to qualify for the final round of the U-15 league. Two teams from each group would qualify to the next stage where they would be divided into two groups. Subsequently Top two teams will get the nod to semi-finals and eventual final will decide the maiden winner of U-15 Youth League.

Kovalam FC’s story is a typical rags to riches one. After a modest beginning in 2009 with 20 footballers, Kovalam FC has one of the finest grassroots set up in Kerala with over 100 players training with the team now.

Do check out this interview we did with Ebin Rose (former Kerala & I-league player), who is the chief coach and dons the all-in-all role at Kovalam FC:

Interview : Kovalam FC’s Ebin Rose on Grassroots Development and More

Goal 2016 – Inter-Collegiate football tournament is underway in Kerala

January 28, 2016 footballnewsindia Leave a comment

Believe it or not, The New Indian express conducts an Inter-collegiate football tournament in Kerala – Goal 2016, that offers a prize money of 2 Lakhs for the winners, 1 lakh for the runner-up team and ten TVS Apache bikes are given off for the best ten players in the tournament.

The latest edition of the tournament is currently underway in the Sports Council Stadium, Kottappady, Malappuram. Here are the fixtures of the tournament. The final match of the tournament will be aired Asianet Cable vision.

Group A Fixtures

Group B fixtures

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